THIRTY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR (B) 4 November 2012
Mark 12, 28-34
Translation by Re.Fr.Valentine de Souza S.J
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| Fr. Valentine de Souza S.J. |
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
A scribe comes to Jesus. He doesn’t come to set a trap for him, nor does he want to discuss any issue. His life is based on laws and regulations which tell him how to behave in every instance. However, he has a problem at heart. “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” What’s decisive in seeking fulfillment in life?
Jesus understands very well what troubles the soul of that man. When norms and precepts, customs and rites keep piling up in religious practice, it is easy to live a rudderless existence, without knowing what exactly is fundamental to give a healthy direction to one’s life. Something of the kind happened in certain spheres of the Jewish religion.
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
THE IMPORTANT THING
José Antonio Pagola
Jesus understands very well what troubles the soul of that man. When norms and precepts, customs and rites keep piling up in religious practice, it is easy to live a rudderless existence, without knowing what exactly is fundamental to give a healthy direction to one’s life. Something of the kind happened in certain spheres of the Jewish religion.
Jesus does not quote the commandments of Moses. He simply reminds him of the prayer both of them had said that very morning at sunrise, according to the Jewish custom: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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 scribe is thinking about a God who has the power to command. Jesus puts him before a God whose voice we must listen to. What’s important is not to know precepts and fulfill them. It is crucial to stop and listen to the God who speaks to us without using human words.
When we listen to the true God, our hearts are drawn to love. It is not properly speaking a command. It’s what arises within us when we open ourselves to the ultimate mystery of life: “You must love.” In this experience there are no religious go-betweens, no theologians, no moralists. We do not need anyone to direct us from outside ourselves. We know that the important thing is to love.
When we listen to the true God, our hearts are drawn to love. It is not properly speaking a command. It’s what arises within us when we open ourselves to the ultimate mystery of life: “You must love.” In this experience there are no religious go-betweens, no theologians, no moralists. We do not need anyone to direct us from outside ourselves. We know that the important thing is to love.
This love of God is not a feeling or an emotion. To love the one who is the source and origin of life is to live loving life , creation, things and especially people. Jesus speaks of loving “with all one’s heart, with all one’s soul, with all one’s being.” No mediocrity or ulterior motives. Only complete generosity and trust.
Jesus adds something more the scribe had not asked. This love of God is inseparable from the love of neighbor. One can only love God by loving the neighbor. Otherwise the love of God is a lie. How can we love the Father without loving his sons and daughters?
We Christians are not always careful about this synthesis of Jesus. We often tend to confuse the love of God with religious practices and fervor, forgetting the love in practice that brings us together with those excluded by society and forgotten by religion. For what truth is there in our love of God if we turn our backs on those who suffer?
Jesus adds something more the scribe had not asked. This love of God is inseparable from the love of neighbor. One can only love God by loving the neighbor. Otherwise the love of God is a lie. How can we love the Father without loving his sons and daughters?
We Christians are not always careful about this synthesis of Jesus. We often tend to confuse the love of God with religious practices and fervor, forgetting the love in practice that brings us together with those excluded by society and forgotten by religion. For what truth is there in our love of God if we turn our backs on those who suffer?
Spread the love of God
Jose Antonio Pagola, vgentza@euskalnet.net , San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain.
English Translation by Valentine de Souza S.J. Mandal, Gujarat , India.394650
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