Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12, 28-34
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, 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.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Loving God and your neighbor
1) The first commandment. Loving the Lord is the most essential part of your life; it’s the core and foundation on which everything else is built. Love gives direction to your life. It helps you understand where you’re going and how you’re meant to live. It’s the starting point for everything you will face, including your struggles and challenges.
2) With all your heart. Loving God is a way of life. It means living with the constant awareness that He is with you. This love isn’t measured by how much you do or how many “Our Fathers” you pray. It’s about having an ongoing dialogue and keeping Him present in your mind. Love isn’t about “doing” a lot; it’s about knowing you’re loved and understanding the importance of maintaining your relationship with Him. When a relationship is built on love, the foundation is gratitude. It’s about always being thankful, rather than falling into the trap of just following rules or going through the motions.
3) Your neighbor. There’s no doubt it’s not always easy for us to live together, and some people can be difficult to deal with. Still, this is at the heart of Christianity: learning to see others through God’s eyes, as Jesus does. You’re called to accept people as they are, including their weaknesses, wounds, and illnesses. Your relationship with others flows directly from your relationship with God. The deeper your identity and intimacy with Him, the more your love for others grows and shapes the way you treat them.
Remember something good is on the way.
God bless you and guard you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
