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     For Jesus, the key "gardening" practice for blossoming into a flourishing, fully-alive, fully-human being is loving God and loving neighbor.

     Yet, from the beginning there have always been those who have debated about who, in fact, is our neighbor. It was an expert in the law who first sought to justify his actions before Jesus (Luke 10:25 -- 37). The lawyer’s aim?  Narrow the field of his responsibility by limiting the definition of neighbor. Even today,  we still try to limit “our” definition of neighbor. Some have even suggested a way of “narrowing the field” by following an “ordering [or ranking] of love” beginning with one’s family, and only then neighbors, and only then community, and only then fellow citizens, and only then the rest of the world. In this scenario, all our energy goes into loving our family and we never get around to nor take responsibility for loving anyone else.

     Pope Leo XIV, in his role as the spiritual and authoritative head of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church refuted this view, stating: Christian love is not a "concentric expansion of interests" but an "abundance" where there is room for everyone.

     An expansive field flourishing with the abundance of God’s love where there is room for everyone!

     We, followers of Christ, are called to receive the gift of Christ’s love and share it consistently with everyone across the whole field of our neighbors. No matter whether the neighbor is native born or refugee; Republican or Democrat; MAGA or Independent; Christian or Buddhist; Jewish or Muslim; one of faith or one of no faith;  American or Russian or Chinese or Iranian; friend or enemy. It’s from that expansive field where our faith is rooted, flourishing with the abundance of the love we have received from God that we prodigally share that same love with all God’s beloved. All our neighbors, all people, without exception, without ranking, all flourishing in God's love..

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