First Reading: (Ex 22:20-26). God tells the Israelites that there must be no discrimination against or exploitation of the weak members of their society.

Second Reading (1 Thess 1:5-10). Paul encourages the Thessalonians by telling them that their exemplary lives have become known far and wide.

Gospel (Mt 22:34-40). Jesus tells us that the whole of religion can be summed up in two commandments of love.
By rabbinical count, ‘the Law’ consisted of some 613 commandments. The question as to which commandment was the greatest was one frequently discussed among the rabbis. Jesus was asked to name one, but responded by naming two. That is because, for him, the second followed directly and necessarily from the first. Love of neighbour arises out of love of God. Both commandments are found in the Old Testament. What is new is not the fact that Jesus brought these two commandments together, but that he made them of equal importance.