The Self-sacrificing Love

In today's first reading, Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-116, 22, Naomi and her husband Elimilech, natives of Bethlehem, moved to Moab. They bore two sons, Mahlon and Chilion.  These sons married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth.  Naomi's husband died, as did her two sons.  Following the death of her sons, Naomi decides to move back to Bethlehem and tells her daughters-in-law to stay in their native country. Ruth, however, insists on staying with Naomi, saying to her:  "Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you!  For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God."

What self-sacrificing love on the part of Ruth! Ruth leaves all that is familiar to her and goes to a foreign land, a country that is not her own.  As an immigrant in Bethlehem, she encounters hatred and prejudice and is saved by a kinsman, her future husband Boaz.

In the Gospel, Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest of the laws. Jesus responds that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with our whole heart,  our whole mind, and our whole soul and that the second commandment is like it: Love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  Ruth models both commandments: Love of God totally and love of neighbor to the point of sacrificing all for that person. 

These scripture passages challenge us to ask ourselves the following questions: Do we allow ourselves to fall in love with God, to  love God totally, that is, with our whole mind, our whole heart, our whole soul? Do we love ourselves and, if not, why not? What do we need to do to fall in love with ourselves--the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly part of ourselves?  Do we love our neighbor as we love ourselves?  Furthermore, are we like Ruth, willing to leave all for the sake of another person and, like her, open to learning more and  more about the one true God? And finally, are we like Boaz, willing to get to know the stranger and protect such persons from being oppressed by hatred and prejudice against them?