Today’s message on the greatest commandment raises a question: Let’s assume for the moment that as a pastoral minister your “love of God” is well grounded. That being the case, which of the remaining is the more difficult for you: love of neighbor or love of self?

It’s Priesthood Sunday. Time to celebrate the folks who embrace a vocation for which the pay is lousy, the hours are terrible, the thanks is spotty, and the responsibility is enormous. It’s also the best job in the world. Priests are privileged to render a precious service to the community of faith. The good ones, of course, know this.

When the Pharisees heard how he had bested the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an assault. One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: “Teacher, which command in God’s Law is the most important?”

I saw him from a block away, only to ignore him later. “Some change, please?” is all I heard. I was walking with a bag full of bread, and I just walked on by. He was just a boy, sitting in the cold, hungry. But with my bag full of bread, I didn’t even look at him. I just walked on by. A block later, I wanted to go back, to have another chance.

We turn to our God who responds to those who cry out in prayer.

I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.