Love Your Neighbour as Yourself

I am basically a couch potato. All my favourite things-reading, writing, knitting and crochet, eating-can be accomplished sitting down. My doctor and my husband nag me a lot to get some exercise, so I signed up for a three-kilometre walk in a nearby provincial park and started practicing. Here at home we live in a valley so it’s all uphill for the first kilometre or so, but then it’s downhill coming home. When my neighbour and her daughters join me, it makes the miles (well, kilometres) go by a lot faster. I feel a sense of accomplishment and general well-being.

Jesus modelled the attitude of a servant for us. We learn God first, others second, me third. Yet it seems from our reading, if I am to properly love my neighbour, I must also love myself. Just as we show love to our children by discipline, so I must be disciplined in the way I treat my body, as well as my mind and spirit.

So I’m just going to put on my walking shoes. See you later!

God of wisdom, thank you for making us in your image and showing us how to live so that we are able to share your love with our neighbour. Amen. — RK