I’ll have to paraphrase, because I haven’t been able to find the exact quote, but Pope Benedict XVI once said something to the effect that the Christian life is about moving from living for oneself to living for one another.
I love the simplicity of that. And the challenge of it, too.
Not long ago, we heard in the Mass readings the greatest commandment:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Mark 12:30–31)
It’s not an either/or—it’s a both/and. Loving God and loving others. One commandment, two expressions.
But let’s be honest: loving God can feel abstract sometimes. He’s invisible. We don’t get a thank-you text from God when we say a prayer. We don’t always feel something when we go to Mass. And so we might wonder—how do I show love to God?
Jesus gives us the answer: “Whatever you did for the least of these… you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40)
Loving God looks like loving the people He made.
It looks like patience with a difficult coworker.
Forgiveness when it’s hard.
Kindness when it’s inconvenient.
Choosing humility, sacrifice, service.
Christian living is not just about believing the right things—it’s about living the right way. And that way is always outward, always other-focused.
We don’t love God instead of people, and we don’t love people instead of God.
We love Him through them. And we love them because of Him.