Seeing Jesus in the Face of others

June 6, 2024 Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: 2 Timothy 2:8-15; Mark 12:28-34

The first reading reminds us to do good in favor of God. One could endure the pain of following Christ and continuing his mission, knowing that it would help spread God's message to others.

The Gospel speaks of two important commandments: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.

The Bible reminds us to love God above all else and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The Bible embodies Confucius' Golden Rule. "Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you."

This rule of conduct is a summary of the Christian's duty to his neighbor and states a fundamental ethical principle. The four basic ethical principles are autonomy, beneficence, justice, and nonmaleficence.

These ethical principles serve as a guide for becoming a better person and how to ethically relate to others. Autonomy means respect; beneficence means doing good to others; justice means fair treatment to others; and non-maleficence means not harming others.

If we integrate these ethical principles into our daily lives, then we are observing the two greatest commandments: to love God and to love others.

Call to Action for Catholic Living: Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that every time she cared for her patients, she saw Jesus' face on each one. Her life experiences are the epitome of these commandments: loving God through the service of caring for the sick and dying.

Lord, help us to integrate the four basic ethical principles in our lives; in that way, we are observing the two greatest commandments, “loving you and loving others.”  Amen.