[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 12:28-34

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Which is the first of all the com­mandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this… . The second is this.” (Mark 12:28-31)

Love God and love your neigh­bor. The wisdom of these words may not strike us with the freshness that they would have conveyed to Jesus’ audience. The idea that the first and greatest command is to love God with all our hearts and souls wasn’t a new thought. It’s recorded in a much older reading in the Hebrew Scriptures (Deuteronomy 6:5). But the idea that loving one another is just as important was much more groundbreaking.

Jesus considered these two com­mands bound so closely together that he taught that if someone is offering a gift at the altar—loving God— and remembers that his brother has something against him, he must leave his gift and go love his brother first (Matthew 5:23-24). And John could write: “Whoever does not love a brother and sister, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20).

There’s something about loving God with our whole hearts that nat­urally flows into loving other people. Perhaps it is because God has cre­ated us in his own image. There’s a picture of him, a treasure from him, in each of us. So when we see each other, we are seeing a reflection of the Lord. Or maybe it’s because God loves each of us with such fierce devotion that for us not to share that love with each other would be an offense to him. Or maybe it’s both!

In the end, it doesn’t matter which approach is best. What mat­ters is that you do something about it! God has called us to love each other just as fully as we love him. That’s not always an easy task, and some people seem determined to make it even harder for us. But our Father is ready to help. He is wait­ing for us to take the first step. Then he will respond with divine grace to soften our hearts.

“Lord, show me the treasures you have placed in all the people around me—especially those I find hardest to love!”

Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Psalm 18:1-4, 47, 51; Hebrews 7:23-28

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

1. In the First Reading, the Great Commandment to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength” is first spoken to the people by Moses. He then tells them to “Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today” (Deuteronomy 6:6). How well do you “take to heart” these words?

2. The Responsorial Psalm continues the theme of the First Reading, “I love you, O Lord, my strength.” The psalmist goes on to proclaim some of the reasons for his great love for the Lord. What are some of them? How would you proclaim your reasons for loving the Lord?

3. How would you describe the difference between Jesus’ priesthood and the Levitical priesthood, as presented in the Second Reading? Why is Jesus’ priesthood so much more powerful than theirs, especially in its impact on our lives through the sacrifice of the Mass?

4. In the Gospel, Jesus repeats the words of Moses from the First Reading and adds the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.” He then says, “There is no other commandment greater than these.” Why is this so? What are the obstacles you encounter during the day that keeps you from obeying these commandments more faithfully in your everyday life? What steps can you take to remove some of these obstacles?

5. The meditation describes two reasons why we are called to love others: 1) “loving God with our whole hearts” so that it “naturally flows into loving other people” and 2) “because God loves each of us with such fierce devotion that for us not to share that love with each other would be an offense to him.” Which of these reasons resonates most with you? Why? Are there some steps you need to take to love God more wholeheartedly or to open yourself more to a greater experience of his love for you?

6. Take some time now to pray and ask for the grace to see the Lord’s presence in others, no matter what kind of relationship you have with them right now. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

 

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

LOVE IS GOD’S MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT

(A biblical refection on THE 31^st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – 4 NOVEMBER, 2012) 

Gospel Reading: Mark 12:28-34 

First Reading: Deut 6:2-6; Psalms: Ps 18:2-4,47,51; Second Reading: Heb 7:23-28 

The Scripture Text

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that He answered them well, asked Him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to Him, “You are right, Teacher; You have truly said that He is one, and there is no other but He; and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that He answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask Him any question. (Mk 12:28-34 RSV) 

Jesus praised the scribe for understanding that love is God’s most important commandment. Love of God and love of neighbor – these were the great commandments, Jesus told him. And the man agreed wholeheartedly.

But it is not as easy as it sounds. Real love is a great challenge to us – modern women and men – greater than ever before. We – especially people of big cities – have too many material comforts, and that tends to make people selfish. In the old days people had to struggle hard and give up much for the basic family and community needs. Children had to work hard on farms to help keep the family alive; families had to give generously of their own time and materials to build churches and community centers. This had its drawbacks, but it was a genuine gift of self, a human response, cooperation for the common needs. And it developed a sense of responsibility.

Today we do not automatically feel this great for each other. And how many people are lonely and starved for true love! An increasing flood of false literature gives a wrong picture of what human love is. If you do not have shiny teeth and soft hair and rosebud perfume, nobody will love you. We laugh at these ridiculous TV commercials, but they seep into our thinking. They make us want to get instead of give. Love then becomes a mere surface attraction which has nothing to do with real love.

What a tragedy if a beautiful home with color TV, two fine cars and all the rest, is an unhappy home, because true love is missing. There is no real love which is not open and generous and sacrificing and well-disciplined. God is love, and only those who live in real love can live in God. True love goes out of self to others. If genuine love does not actively grow and flourish in the family, how can it go out to others? Here is the parents’ first responsibility: to teach real love to their children, by having it themselves. They must learn love in order to learn of God, for God is love. 

Short Prayer: Jesus, teach me to love because God is love, and only those who live in real love can live in God. Amen. 

[Salvation]

 

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for November 4, 2012:

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mk 12:31) This presumes that you do indeed have a humble but honest self-love. Keep yourself healthy as a gift to your spouse. This includes exercising and not smoking or drinking excessively.