GOSPEL POWER |JUNE 3, 2021 | THURSDAY | Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs | 9thWeek in Ordinary Time  

 Gospel: Mk 12: 28 - 34

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he 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; 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.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; 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,’ — this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of

God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

Reflection

Loving is not an option that we can take up or leave aside  as we please. It is the greatest of all obligations, because it  is the first of all the commandments. Jesus, in responding to  the scribe’s question, subsumes all commandments into the twofold  love-commandment. This has been given by God, so that we can  gradually be liberated from toxic self-focus and become aware that  we are connected to all of reality, and that loving is the only way to  nourish those connections. In the Gospel of John, Jesus explicitly  equates obedience with love — “Whoever has my commandments  and observes them is the one who loves me” (14:21). Thus, the truly  obedient person is a genuinely loving person

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you perfected love by your absolute obedience. Grant that  we too may walk the way of obedience and grow as loving persons. Amen.