“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I kept coming back to that today. Not because it was something new, but because I needed the reminder.

Jesus uses a Samaritan in the parable, and that matters. The Samaritans and Jews did not exactly get along. So Jesus isn’t just telling me to love the people I like or the people who are easy to love. My neighbor can be someone I don’t like. It can even be someone I despise.

And I don’t know their heart. That doesn’t mean everything another person does is okay. But it does mean I am still called to love them.

Then I started thinking about the other half of that sentence: “as yourself.”

I don’t always take care of myself the way I should. I overeat sometimes. I don’t sleep enough. I eat things I know aren’t good for me. But I certainly want what is ultimately good for me. I want to go to Heaven. I want to be with God.

And Jesus is reminding me that I should want that for the other person too.

Even the person I don’t like. Even the person I am tempted to judge.

I wish I could say I always truly wanted that for everyone. I don’t know that I do.

But I want to want that.

St. Paul asks, “Am I now currying favor with human beings or God?” Loving someone doesn’t mean I have to please them or agree with them. My concern should be what God wants.

And the Psalm says, “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart.” Maybe that’s where it starts. Turn my heart toward God first, and then ask Him to help me love the person in front of me.

So my prayer today is that God helps me grow in charity. Help me not judge another person’s heart. Help me desire what is truly good for them, even when they are difficult for me to love.

Is there someone you struggle to love whose good you can pray for today?

I pray you get the graces you need today.

Keep up the good fight.

I’m praying for you. Please pray for me.

Scripture: Galatians 1:6-12 | Psalm 111:1b-2, 7-8, 9, 10c | Luke 10:25-37