Micro Homily on Mark 12:28-34
Mark 12:28-34
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he 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.
Dear Folks,
The Gospel reading we just read is a powerful reminder of the core of our faith. A scribe, a man learned in the law, approaches Jesus, not with a trick question, but with a genuine desire to understand. He asks, "Which commandment is the first of all?" And Jesus, with clarity and authority, gives us the answer, an answer that resonates even today.
"The first is this," Jesus says, "'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.'" This, my friends, is the foundation. It's not just about acknowledging God's existence, but about a complete and total love for Him. A love that permeates every aspect of our being: our hearts, our souls, our minds, and our very strength.
Think about what that means. To love God with all our heart – that’s the seat of our emotions, our passions, our desires. It means putting God at the center, letting His love shape our affections and motivations. To love God with all our soul – that's our very life force, our essence. It means dedicating our lives to Him, living in accordance with His will. To love God with all our mind – that’s our intellect, our thoughts, our reasoning. It means seeking to understand God's truth, to learn and grow in our faith. And to love God with all our strength – that's our actions, our deeds, our energy. It means using our gifts and talents to serve Him and His kingdom.
But Jesus doesn't stop there. He continues, "The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." These two commandments are inextricably linked. We cannot truly love God whom we have not seen if we do not love our neighbor whom we see. Love of God and love of neighbor are two sides of the same coin.
Loving our neighbor as ourselves – this isn't just about warm fuzzy feelings. It's about action. It's about treating others with the same respect, compassion, and care that we would want for ourselves. It's about seeing the image of God in every person, even those who are different from us, even those who have hurt us.
The scribe, listening intently, recognizes the wisdom in Jesus's words. He affirms that loving God with all our being and loving our neighbor as ourselves is far more important than any ritual or sacrifice. And Jesus, seeing the scribe's understanding, says to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."
What a powerful statement! The scribe, through his understanding and acknowledgement of these two great commandments, was close to the kingdom. It wasn't enough just to know the law; it was about understanding its true meaning and applying it to his life. And the same is true for us.
We are called to not just hear these words, but to live them. To examine our own hearts and ask ourselves: Do I truly love God with all my being? Do I truly love my neighbor as myself? Are these just words I hear in church, or are they the guiding principles of my life?
The path to the kingdom of God is paved with love – love for God and love for our neighbor. Let us strive to cultivate that love in our hearts, in our homes, in our communities, and in the world. Let us be doers of the word, not just hearers. And may we, like the scribe, be not far from the kingdom of God. Amen.
Love,
+Br'er Abbot
