8 June , 2023 | Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

 Gospel Mk 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.

Reflections

To the mind of Jesus the two commandments together constituted a single one. Love for God was worked out in practice in the area of interpersonal relations. It was precisely this practical love of neighbour – the authentic religious stance originally enshrined in the customs and institutions of Israel - that over time had tended to drain out of religious practice and institutions. Love with - “all” your heart, feelings, emotions, desires, - “all” your soul, will, choices, decisions, - “all” your mind, reason, knowledge, memory, - “all” your strength, talents, abilities, capacities. The Lord commands and demands a “total” and “complete” loving

Activity:

Do you find it easy to follow both these commandments?

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