Reflections on Scripture | Friday of the Third Week of Lent

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel
Mark 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.

Reflection

It was not unusual for people to ask when there were 613 rules and laws, which is the most important, which is the greatest of all these laws? And the answer must have been at times other than Jesus’ voice, that it was love. But there's something about the way Jesus describes it. To love the Lord, your God is not just to believe His existence, but you have to love Him with your whole heart, with your whole soul, with your mind, your strength.

And you have to do the same thing for yourself. And he's saying there's no other commandment greater than these. He takes 613 rules and regulations that often were the heart of a person's spirituality and obliterate their power over someone by simply saying, unless these are motivated by love, they mean nothing. Motivation. Intention. What is our core intention in our religious life? To do what we’re told, or to become who we’re meant to be?

The Closing prayer

Jesus, you reveal to us the Father's heart. Fill us with that heart. Let it be dwelling in us so we can truly enter in to the Kingdom of God. Amen.

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Kyle Cross