To read the texts click on the texts: Hos 14:2-10; Mk 12:28-34
In Matthew
22:35, the lawyer asks the question about the great commandment in order to
test Jesus; in Mark he is not hostile and does not intend to test Jesus. As a
matter of fact Mark mentions at the beginning of the incident that the lawyer
thought that Jesus had answered the Sadducees well and at the end of that
response, he commends Jesus for his answer. Jesus responds to the lawyer’s
question in the words of the “Shema”, which speaks of love of God (Deut 6:5-6),
but adds also the love of neighbour (Lev 19:18 ).
The scribe’s response to this is to acknowledge Jesus’ answer as correct and to
add that following these commandments is greater than sacrifices and burnt
offerings. Jesus concludes the dialogue by stating that because the scribe has
recognized what his priorities are, he is not far from the kingdom of God
Love of God
cannot really be separated from love of neighbour. The two go together. Our
love for God is made manifest and tangible only when we reach out in love to
someone else. While Paul gives a
beautiful description of what love is and what it is not in 1 Corinthians 13,
my own definition of love is that in love there is no “I”.
Your own definition of Love is theoretically great, but practically a tough call. But with His grace and your nudges, it's not impossible.n
ReplyDelete