Daily Word: Matthew 22:34-40 – The Two Commandments of Love | Friday, Aug 21 (St. Pius X)
The greatest commandment is love of God and neighbor. Unpack the Greek of "agapaō" and "holos" in this 4-minute reflection on the heart of the Law, with a closing tribute to St. Pius X.
DAILY WORD
spwworship
8/21/20265 min read
Matthew 22:34-40 (Memorial of St. Pius X, Pope – Year A)
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40)
The Pharisees are not done testing Jesus. They have tried to trap Him with questions about taxes, marriage, and the resurrection. Now a scholar of the law—a legal expert, a theologian—approaches Jesus with a question that seems sincere: "Which commandment in the law is the greatest?"
It is a question that had been debated for centuries among the rabbis. The Law of Moses contained 613 commandments—248 positive and 365 negative. The scholars had long tried to distill the essence of the Law into a single principle. Some said it was the Shema—the declaration of God's oneness. Others said it was the commandment to love one's neighbor.
Jesus does not choose between them. He does not reduce the Law to a single principle. Instead, He quotes the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:5: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." Then He immediately adds the second, from Leviticus 19:18: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
He does not separate them. He connects them. The love of God and the love of neighbor are not two commandments; they are one commandment expressed in two directions. The vertical love of God and the horizontal love of neighbor are inextricably linked. You cannot love God without loving your neighbor, and you cannot love your neighbor without loving God.
The Language of Love: Agapaō (v. 37-39)
The Greek word for "love" in both commandments is agapaō. This is not a sentiment or a feeling. It is a choice, a decision of the will. It is the love that seeks the good of the beloved, even at a cost.
Agapaō is the love of the Cross. It is the love that gives without counting the cost. It is the love that God has for us—and the love that we are called to have for God and for our neighbor.
The Pharisees were experts in the Law, but they had forgotten the heart of the Law: love. They knew the commandments but did not love the Commander. They knew the rituals but did not love the One whom the rituals pointed to.
The Dimensions of Love: Holos and Kardia (v. 37)
Jesus commands love with "all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."
The Greek word for "all" is holos — whole, complete, entire. It is not a partial love; it is a total love. Every dimension of the human person is engaged:
Kardia — heart, the center of the person, the seat of intellect, will, and emotion. We are to love God with our whole heart—not divided, not distracted.
Psychē — soul, the principle of life, the deepest self. We are to love God with our whole soul—every breath, every desire, every longing.
Dianoia — mind, the intellect, the understanding. We are to love God with our whole mind—not just with feelings, but with thought, reason, and conviction.
This is the total response of the whole person to the whole God. There is no compartmentalization. No part of our life is excluded from the love of God.
The Second is Like It: Homoios (v. 39)
Jesus says the second commandment is "like it."
The Greek word is homoios — similar, equal, of the same kind. It is not just a second commandment; it is the extension of the first. The love of God cannot exist without the love of neighbor. John will later write: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' but hates his brother, he is a liar" (1 John 4:20).
The second commandment is also a commandment of measure: "Love your neighbor as yourself." We do not love ourselves perfectly; we love ourselves sinfully. But the measure is not our imperfect self-love. The measure is the love that God has for us. We are called to love others with the same love that God has shown to us—unconditional, sacrificial, merciful.
The Whole Law and Prophets: Kremannymi (v. 40)
Jesus concludes: "The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."
The Greek word for "depend" is kremannymi — to hang, to suspend, to be supported by. It is a powerful image: all the commandments, all the rituals, all the teachings of the Old Testament hang on the twin pillars of love.
Love of God is the foundation of worship, prayer, and obedience.
Love of neighbor is the foundation of justice, charity, and mercy.
If love is removed, the entire structure collapses. The Law without love is legalism. The Prophets without love are empty rhetoric. The rituals without love are hypocrisy.
Saint Pius X: The Pope of the Eucharist and Catechism
Today the Church honors Saint Pius X (1835–1914), born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto. He was one of the most beloved popes of the modern era, known for his humility, his pastoral heart, and his deep devotion to the Eucharist.
Pius X is often called the "Pope of the Eucharist" because he encouraged frequent and early Communion. He lowered the age of First Communion, inviting children to receive the Body of Christ at the age of reason. He also promoted the daily reception of the Eucharist, calling the faithful to "restore all things in Christ."
He was also a reformer. He codified the Catechism of the Catholic Church, revised the breviary, and began the revision of the Code of Canon Law. He defended the Church against the errors of modernism, which he called the "synthesis of all heresies." But he did so not with harshness, but with a father's love for the Church.
One of his most famous sayings captures the heart of today's Gospel: "It is not enough to know the commandments; we must love them. And it is not enough to love them; we must live them."
Pius X lived the two great commandments. He loved God with all his heart, serving the Church with tireless energy. He loved his neighbor, especially the poor and the young, with a shepherd's heart.
The Connection: Love is the Foundation
St. Pius X understood that love is the foundation of all Christian life. He did not reduce the faith to rules and rituals. He called the faithful to the heart of the Gospel: a personal encounter with Christ, nourished by the Eucharist and lived out in charity.
His motto was "Omnia instaurare in Christo" — "To restore all things in Christ." And the way to restore all things in Christ is through love: love of God, love of neighbor, love of the Church.
What This Means for Your Friday
Today, reflect on the two great commandments.
How do you love God? Is it with your whole heart, soul, and mind? Or is your love divided, distracted, or half-hearted?
How do you love your neighbor? Do you see Christ in the person before you? Do you serve your neighbor as you would serve Christ?
Do you see the connection? The love of God and the love of neighbor are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other.
A Short Prayer
Lord Jesus, You have given me two great commandments: to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself. Forgive me for the times I have loved You half-heartedly and my neighbor grudgingly. Help me to love with the love of the Cross—the love that gives without counting the cost. Through the intercession of St. Pius X, teach me to live the Gospel in charity. Amen.
Connect
Join our community for uplifting worship content
Contact
Subscribe
apocrifo1815@gmail.com
© 2026. All rights reserved.