30A23.    Exodus 22:20-26.  “Thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.  You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.”  God cares for all peoples for he created all peoples and cares for all the peoples he created, not only the Hebrews, his Chosen People.  God says about himself, “I am compassionate.”  In saying so God is saying we should be compassionate as he is.  As we enjoy the love God has for us, we bring that joyful love to others.

Matthew 22:34-40.   It is quite interesting that it was out of hatred of Jesus because he was challenging their misuse of their leadership of the Jewish religion that the Pharisees and scribes were asking Jesus about the law of love.  Jesus simply quotes the two great commandments as they were from the Old Testament.  However, the second commandment left much to be desired.  It said that we were to love our neighbor but did not include those who were not our neighbors.  However, in John 13:23, Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.”  In other words, love everyone, not only your neighbor because Jesus loves everyone.

1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10.  Paul declares that the Thessalonians “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to await his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.”  When we love God above all things, he give us that divine spiritual life that is above anything our earthly bodies can give us.