August 22, 2025: Friday, 20th Week of Ordinary Time

Our first reading today comes from the Book of Ruth and we see Naomi returning to her own people because she has heard that the Lord is with them and cares for them. She herself has suffered the loss of her husband and her two sons and now one of her daughters-in-law returns to her own people. But the second daughter-in-law – Ruth, a kind woman – will not leave her but clings to her and takes Naomi’s people as her people and Naomi’s God as her God.

 In the Gospel, Jesus is questioned by the authorities about what he considered the greatest commandment. He cites the Shema Israel (“Hear, O Israel…” – Deuteronomy) as the core of faith. He also adds the love of neighbor as the second commandment. Our Lord then says that everything depends on these two commandments because if we fulfill the Law to the letter but without love of God or love of neighbor, then our observance of the Law will be of little value to us. In all that we do, we must work from a foundation of love.