17 March, 2023 | Friday of the Third Week of Lent

 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:

In today’s gospel Jesus asks of us two things: to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves. God is inviting us to love as He loves. God is love and everything he does flows from his love for us. The love of God comes first and the love for our neighbor is the result of our deep love for God. A love that is total requires loving with one’s entire being, heart, mind and soul. Let us allow God to use us as his instruments so that those who have never experienced the love of God would feel it through us.

Activity : 

Love in action, all without distinction, not only those who love you but even those who dislike you.  Love even those who are not lovable.