Turn to God by Cardinal Basil Hume, OSB

I never cease to be distressed at the pain and suffering which we humans can inflict on each other. The second commandment of our Lord is to love our neighbor as ourselves. I sometimes think it must sound naïve, and a bit too unworldly, to speak of basing a social and political system on mutual love. Maybe it is naïve to think of basing it on anything else. Surely the opposite of love is hatred, self-assertion, jealousy, rivalry – and these do not make for peace.

Let me be clear: the love about which I am speaking is not something limp, a matter of vaguely liking another, or an emotional involvement, or a feeling. It is, rather, a demanding taskmaster; it will require me to love my enemy.

It effects a change of heart – away from what separates us from God – violence, cruelty, murder – and with a turning to him. The kingdom of God takes root in proportion as the citizens of the city of humanity turn from evil to God. Now, there is no turning to God which is not a search to understand the meaning of love, as he shows it to us, and which we should have for him. And that can not be separated from the love which we must have and show towards each other. This twofold commandment is the heart of the Gospel.

George Basil Hume, OSB (1923-1999), was abbot of Ampleforth Abbey before being appointed archbishop of Westminster. He was one of the most beloved religious figures in the United Kingdom. 

Cardinal Basil Hume, “Turn to God,” from the December 2024 issue of Give Us This Day giveusthisday.org (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2024). Used with permission.