In today’s Gospel at Mass, Jesus sets priorities straight. The says the first commandment is to love the Lord, our God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength.

The second commandment, He says, is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

There is a reason love of neighbor is second. It must flow FROM and OUT OF our love of God. If it does not, the love will not be authentic and will cause more harm to us and to others than good.

This is my issue with the current main about social justice in the Church. Genuine social justice is all well and good, and a noble thing, and we should certainly strive for it. In fact, love of neighbor is CRITICAL and a non-negotiable, but when you prioritize it ABOVE what we owe to God, you are setting yourself up for genuine moral and social disaster.

C.S. Lewis points out the law of first things in Mere Christianity. He says that if we put first things first, we get first things and second things along with them. When we put second things first, we end up with NEITHER second things NOR first things.

Prioritize “social justice” over God, and you will not get even social justice. You will not.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all the these things will be given you besides.