Love Has No Price Tag

Reflection Date: October 25, 2026 | Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Exodus 22:20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10; Matthew 22:34-40

Children of God:
In this 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we have a very thought-provoking first reading. It comes from the 22nd chapter of Exodus. Part of it says: "If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest." (Exodus 22:25).

In the ancient community of Israel, many people struggled to survive because of poverty, hunger, and unexpected hardships. Some families needed to borrow money just to buy food or provide for their children. 

The law of Moses reminded the Israelites that when they lent money to a needy person, they must not treat the loan like a business transaction or charge interest that would deepen the borrower’s suffering. 

God wanted His people to remember that their neighbors were human beings who deserved compassion, especially when life became difficult. 

This commandment challenged the people to place human dignity above personal profit and to recognize that their blessings carried a responsibility toward others. 

In the gospel story of Matthew, Jesus answered a question about the greatest commandment by teaching that loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind must go together with loving our neighbor as ourselves.

What are our inspirations for today?

First, love means treating people with dignity.

In our daily lives, we encounter people who can do something for us. Some can offer opportunities, connections, financial assistance, or professional advantages. 

Sometimes, we give our attention to people because we expect something in return. 

However, genuine love challenges us to recognize the worth of every person, regardless of their position, influence, or ability to help us. Jesus taught that the second greatest commandment was to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39).

Think about how we treat service workers, drivers, household helpers, office staff, and people who cannot offer us anything in return. Do we speak to them with the same courtesy we show to our superiors and important guests? Do we listen to their concerns, respect their time, and acknowledge their contributions? Our character often appears in the way we treat people who have little power to reward us or influence our lives.

Love challenges us to make fairness and kindness part of our everyday decisions. At work, this means giving credit where it is due, paying people fairly, and refusing to take advantage of someone’s weakness. 

In our families, it means listening without humiliating others and correcting mistakes without destroying a person’s self-worth. We express love whenever we remember that every person deserves respect, regardless of what that person can do for us.

Love means treating people with dignity.

Second, loving God means allowing our faith to shape the way we treat other people.

When a teacher of the law asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, Jesus answered that we must love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). He then connected this commandment with loving our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). 

Jesus showed that our relationship with God must influence our relationships with the people around us. Prayer, worship, and religious devotion guide us toward a life marked by compassion, justice, forgiveness, and generosity.

Sometimes, we find it easier to pray for peace than to make peace with someone who offended us. We may attend church faithfully but struggle to forgive a family member. We may speak about God's goodness while ignoring a colleague who needs encouragement or a neighbor who feels forgotten. 

These moments invite us to examine whether our faith guides our reactions, our conversations, and our decisions. Loving God calls us to bring kindness into the places where we live, work, serve, and encounter others.

We do not need extraordinary opportunities to practice this commandment. We can begin by giving our family members our attention, checking on someone who lives alone, helping a struggling friend, or refusing to spread gossip about another person. We can also show love by setting fair boundaries, speaking against injustice, and protecting those who are vulnerable. 

Loving God means allowing our faith to shape the way we treat other people.

As we reflect, we ask ourselves: Do I treat every person with dignity, including those who cannot give me anything in return? 

Does my love for God influence the way I speak, make decisions, forgive others, and respond to people who hurt me? What concrete act of kindness or justice can I practice today to show greater love for my neighbor?

Children of God: 
Love gives direction to our faith and purpose to our daily actions. 

God invites us to measure our lives by the compassion we offer and the dignity we protect in others. 

Every encounter gives us an opportunity to choose patience over anger, fairness over selfishness, and understanding over judgment. 

When we place love at the center of our decisions, we help create families, workplaces, and communities where people feel respected and valued. 

May our love for God deepen each day and inspire us to become loving neighbors to everyone we meet.