Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. And I tell you this: if two of you agree on earth to ask for anything, my heavenly Father will grant it to them. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
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(From the Gospel according to Matthew 18:15–20)
“Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:10)
The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. <…> Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:8,10).
In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul explains what love should be like: “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters! Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal 5:13,14).
Jesus taught how to practice love toward those who offend us: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother” (Mt 18:15). Brotherly admonition is one way we should practice love—not leaving a person in error but trying to win him over to good.
Once a teacher of the Law asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answered with a question: “What is written in the Law?” The teacher replied that one must keep the law of love—to love God and neighbor. Taking the opportunity, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan (see Lk 10:29–37).
Robbers beat and robbed a traveler and left him lying by the roadside. A priest and a Levite passed by the injured man indifferently, but a foreign Samaritan took him to an inn and cared for him. In this way, he beautifully fulfilled the law of love for neighbor. After telling this parable, Jesus said to the teacher of the Law: “Go and do likewise!” (Lk 10:37).
We, people who believe in God, are completely dependent on how we fulfill the law of love. If we only care for ourselves and are indifferent to people in material or spiritual distress, then our faith is worthless because it lacks the essential feature—love. We can pray a lot, fast, read religious books, but if love is missing, our faith will be pitiful.
We can pray a lot, fast, read religious books, but if love is missing, our faith will be pitiful.
We live in a materially developed society, and most people do not experience material hardship. However, there will always be people living in distress who need our attention.
The greatest appreciation goes to those who dedicate themselves to serving the poor. These are our Samaritans, Caritas members, and others who organize to help people in distress. Although it is not necessary to belong to any charitable organization, it is necessary to think about what good we could do for our brothers and sisters who have fallen into hardship.
In thirty years of independence, we have made great material progress, but spiritually we have become impoverished. Many people have lost faith in God and eternal life and care only for themselves so as not to lack material goods and bodily pleasures. When spiritual values have declined in society, examples of people behaving like the Good Samaritan mentioned in the Gospel are very precious.
If we try to influence such erring people only with words, our efforts will probably be fruitless. Our example is needed. People who have lost faith see that we, believers in God, are happy; they see our good deeds, and perhaps for some, their eyes will be opened, and they will reflect that they need to change the direction of their lives.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt 5:16).
Cardinal Sigitas Tamkevičius
