6 June , 2024 | Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Tim

 2 Tm 2:8-15

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.

Reflection: 

According to Jesus, to love God with one’s heart, mind, soul and senses; and to love one’s neighbour as oneself meant that one is not far from the Kingdom of God.  Such love is worth more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices offered to God.

God came to be among humankind  so that his Kingdom can come on earth as it is in heaven.  Where love is, God is.  Such thoughts and knowledge are common.  Most humans are aware of these commandments.  Yet, to make them real and true, is the challenge that each one face. To love God  for who God is,  with all understanding and strength, will mean complete focus on God in all that we do.  And the more each of us loves God, the easier it will be to love God in one another.  Such a state of love is not impossible according to  Jesus as he showed it in his life.

 

Activity: 

Today offer as many works of love as pure offering to God today, without expecting anything in return.