At that time: One of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ And the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

That is how it is, and that is how it must be: to love God above all things, beyond everything else and in every circumstance. When the scribe asks Jesus a question, He does not respond with a rule or a requirement to fulfil. Instead, He teaches us that love comes first. We are not born knowing how to love; we must learn to love each day. Love has a centre, and that centre is God. Whenever we face a situation in which it is difficult to love, by renouncing ourselves, giving ourselves generously, and placing God at the centre, we discover how love truly works. Loving God above all else enables us to love others. In marriage, our closest neighbour is our spouse. We are called to love them in concrete ways: with patience when they are tired, by listening even when we do not feel like it, by speaking respectfully in every situation, by caring for the small details, by beginning again after a failure, and by always being available to our spouse. We may have lives full of obligations, routines, and responsibilities, but what matters most is not simply doing things for one another—it is truly loving one another in everything. Yet human effort alone can become exhausted. Marriage needs moments of prayer and encounters with God so that we can continue loving when our own strength is no longer enough.

Applied to Married Life

Victoria: What did you think about what that couple shared regarding the journey they proposed for married life?
Michael: It wasn’t bad. But maybe it’s a little beyond us, don’t you think?
Victoria: Well, that depends on how you look at it. I really liked what they shared, the way they explained it, and what it has meant for their marriage. I think we should talk about it together.
Michael: Yes, it was beautiful. But our lives are already complicated enough with everything we have going on. I’m not sure this is for us.
Victoria: If we look at it that way, we’ll never do anything. They were right when they said we’re called to something greater. We have a lot and we give a lot, but listening to them made me realize that we’re missing something.
Michael: You may be right. We have a long way to go before reaching what they described. But I have to admit, they made me want to try. Just seeing the way they looked at each other—not only hearing how their lives had changed—really touched me. They have something special. I don’t know if we’ll ever have that.
Victoria: The most important thing is that they have God at the centre of their lives and their marriage. They said it very clearly and confidently. For them, He is the priority above everything else.
Michael: Yes, and that’s what’s missing for us. It’s true that we’re people of faith, but I’ve always been rather reluctant about these things. Still, I have to admit that whenever I’ve turned to God—whether in good times or bad—I’ve never come away unchanged. Maybe I need to start seeing Him as a true priority and not just an option.
Victoria: You’re a good man, the man I fell in love with, and I’ve never stopped thanking God for bringing you into my life. Hearing you speak like this renews my love for you and gives me hope.
Michael: Maybe we should give it a try. Anything that brings us closer to God can only help us. Now I realize that the most special thing about the couple we met today is that God is an inseparable part of their lives. That’s why they’ve been able to experience such transformation.
Victoria: I think that’s wonderful. The parish priest invited us to this presentation so we could see what we thought of it. Maybe we could suggest starting a group at our parish. What do you think?
Michael: I agree. Even though we already have much to be grateful for, I’m sure it’s worth trying. I’m really drawn to the vision of love they described—the kind of love we’re called to and should strive to attain.

Mother,

Teach us to love your Son with all our hearts and to recognise Him in our spouse. Grant us a love that is patient, humble, and faithful—a love that forgives and always begins again. May our marriage not rely solely on human effort, but on the presence of God. Blessed and praised be the Lord forever.