The following is the Sunday reading from November 3, 2024, followed by the homily of my pastor, Fr. Andrew Budzinski, rector of the Cathedral of St. Matthew in South Bend, Indiana. I found it so helpful that I am publishing it here with his permission. (Note: He did not prepare this text to be read, but to be heard. It was intended to be a homily, not an essay.)

Gospel Mk 12:28b-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?” 
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, 
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.” 
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
‘He is One and there is no other than he.’
And ‘to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself’
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” 
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Well, Election Day is this Tuesday…

And our country is very anxious. Harris supporters are anxious that we’re doomed if Trump wins. Trump supporters are anxious that we’re doomed if Harris wins. And many who would not consider themselves flag-waving supporters of either candidate are anxious we’re doomed regardless of outcome.

The candidates, the news channels, the culture at large, are telling us, and have been telling us for a long time now, that this election is the most important thing in our lives right now. Elections are important… very important. But you and I both know they’re not THE most important thing. Especially after hearing this Gospel.

Jesus says, THE most important thing this week and every week, THE most important thing in our nation and every nation, THE most important thing EVER in every place and for all time, is that we love God and love neighbor. “There is no other commandment greater than these,” Jesus says.

These are the most important things:

More important than the election… is that our families pray together at home today and every day.

More important than the election… is that our parents, teachers and catechists help our children become disciples of Jesus Christ.

More important than the election… is that our St. Vincent de Paul Society and our parish feeds the hungry, gives drink to the thirsty, clothes the naked, and helps the homeless find shelter.

More important than the election… is that our young people follow God’s vocational call for their life.

More important than the election… is that we tell someone the explosive truth of the Gospel: that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, entered the world to save us from sin and death.

More important than the election… is that I say Mass.

And more important than the election… is that all of us receive Jesus’ Body and Blood in the Eucharist and radiate the grace of the Sacrament into the world.

Because eternal life is infinitely longer than the next four years. Our home is Heaven more than our nation is. And our Savior is Jesus Christ, not our next President. So, this week, while so many are concerned with the election, let’s focus on THE most important things:

How should we love God and love neighbor concretely? Not just the sentiment, emotion or feeling of love, but love manifest in concrete action, love that bears visible fruit, love with a blueprint, visible love that looks like Christ on the Cross, audible love that sounds like the Gospel, satisfying love that tastes like the Eucharist, sensible love that is perceptible through visible signs and actions. As light in a dark world, the radiant love of Christ that shines in the world through us.

While the rest of the nation is spending it’s time and energy anxious about many things, let’s choose the better part and be concerned with only one thing: Love of God and neighbor.

Fr. Andrew Budzinski

November 3rd, 2024