Timete Deum

The System of Love: We Should Not Opt Out
God created the universe with order and interconnectedness. Our bodies, too, are made up of different systems working together to sustain life.
In the same way, the Kingdom of God is a system of love—a way of life built on mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and communion.
In today’s Gospel (Luke 7:36–50), Simon sees the woman’s sins, while Jesus sees her capacity for love and conversion. The woman receives Jesus’ mercy and responds with love.
Even the fallen angels remind us that God’s creatures can freely reject communion with Him. Simon’s judgment, though not the same as their rebellion, challenges us to examine how we respond to God’s love.
We cannot receive God’s mercy while refusing to show mercy to others. We cannot celebrate the Eucharist as one Body while treating others as though they do not matter.
We should not opt out of the system of love, especially when loving becomes difficult.
The question is not merely whether we belong to the Kingdom, but whether we allow its love to govern our lives.
The woman reminds us that God’s mercy can transform us. Jesus invites us to live that transformation every day.
The Kingdom of God is a system of love. We should not opt out, because love is the way Christ calls us to live.
Amen.