Friday 21 August 2026 - With all your heart

Friday 21 August 2026

Today is Friday the 21st of August, the feast of Saint Pius X, in the 20th week of Ordinary Time. Draw close to the loving God during this time of prayer—with your heart, your mind, your soul and your body. Ask to know God's closeness and His love. Paul Zach with The Porter’s Gate sings, ‘The Greatest Commandment’. Love the Lord your God With all your heart and soul and mind And love your neighbour as yourself Love the Lord your God With all your heart and soul and mind And love your neighbour as yourself Let us be known, let us be known By the way we love Let us be known, let us be known By the way we love Love the Lord your God With all your heart and soul and mind And love your neighbour as yourself Love, love, love, the greatest commandment is Love, love, love, the greatest commandment is Love, love, love, the greatest commandment is love Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 22:34-40 When the Pharisees heard that [Jesus] had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ Experiencing God’s love creates a desire to love God in return. The more we experience this love, the more we feel compelled to love God more deeply. God loves us in a myriad of ways: through creation, the love of others, scriptures, personal moments of encounter and many more. How have you experienced God’s love in your life? Loving God with ‘all your heart… all your soul and … all your mind’ is a fully embodied love. A self-offering of our deepest emotions, desires, identity, thoughts and decisions. How might God be inviting you to deepen your love for Him today? As we receive God’s love, it also spills over into love for our neighbour and for ourselves. As you listen again, notice where you’re most drawn to - love for God, for self or others? Matthew 22:34-40 When the Pharisees heard that [Jesus] had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ The reading started with the Pharisees asking Jesus a question. Take a moment to imagine Jesus with you. Is there a question in your heart? Talk with Jesus about this and be ready for his response. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen