Mark 12:30-31
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Readings for Sunday: Deuteronomy, Hebrews, Mark
Reflection:
In today’s Gospel (Mark 12:28-34), Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest. His response is both simple and profound: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength;” and then he adds a second, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” These two commands encapsulate the essence of our faith, but they are far from easy to live out.
This passage invites us to reflect on what true love means. In our culture, love is often reduced to a feeling or preference—liking someone or something. However, Jesus calls us to a much deeper love, the kind He showed on the cross: agape, a love of self-sacrifice and action. It’s not about feelings but about choosing to do good for others, even those we may not like or who hurt us. True love is laying down our lives in small ways for the sake of others.
Yet, we often find our hearts divided. We say we love God, but we can let other “gods” creep in—work, money, comfort, or even our reputation or self-image. How often do we prioritize these things over God? Just as importantly, we struggle to love our neighbors, especially those who challenge or inconvenience us.
Jesus reminds us that these commandments are inseparable. Loving God fully allows us to love others more deeply. The call to love requires us to act, not just to feel. Through prayer, Mass, and serving those around us, we can grow in this love, allowing it to shape our lives and draw us closer to God’s Kingdom. Let us ask for the grace to love God with our whole hearts, and to love others as He loves us.
Reflection Questions
- In your prayer, ask: Do I truly love God with all my heart, or are there areas of my life where I place other priorities above Him?
- Reflect on this: How do I view love? Is it more about my feelings or my willingness to sacrifice and act for others, even when it’s difficult?
- Consider in quiet reflection: Are there people in my life whom I struggle to love? How might loving God more deeply help me to love those around me better, especially those who are challenging to love?