SUNDAY- 31^st  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 12:28-34: This is the first commandment. The second is like this.

I Reading: Deuteronomy 6:2-6: Listen, Israel: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.

II Reading: Hebrews 7:23-28: Because he remains forever, Christ can never lose his priesthood.

The Question about the Greatest Commandment, Mk 12:28-34

Jesus had met his third group of challengers, the Sadducees. In their minds, His threat to their security remained. He had silenced and routed them. Jesus used the occasion to teach man the greatest provision and duty of human life: love. Love will provide for every need man has; therefore love is the greatest duty of man.

1. A Teacher of the Law approached Jesus (v.28)

a. Observed Jesus’ arguments

b. Posed a test question: Which is the important commandment?

2. The greatest commandment (v.29-31)

a. The Lord our God, The Lord is one

b. The Lord our God is to be loved

c. The Lord our God demands that we love our neighbours as ourselves

3. The great vastness of the commandment (v.32-34)

a. So great it causes honest and thinking men to agree

b. So great it exceeds all offerings and sacrifices

c. So great it almost assurances salvation to those who understand it

Thought:

What is the first and important commandment? Deut 6:5- listen O Israel..

Love with heart, soul, mind and strength or might

Listen the word of God with heart, soul, mind and strength

How many love and listen to the word of God today?

Today’s world many do not love God and do not listen to the word of God and do not obey God’s command. They wonder and live in emptiness, dryness in spiritual life

Our love is vertical and horizontal love. Eg the cross has both vertical and horizontal. They are inseparable and united always. So loving God and loving our neighbour is inseparable and united always as one family. We love neighbour because God loves all and we are the children of the same God.

The creation is the love of God so must love him, serve him, worship him and glorify him is the purpose of our life on this earth to steward the earth and people.

Who can listen?

Those who are humble not the proud or self-righteous people

Those who do the will of God with obedience and dependency and surrendering

The first sin was the sin of disobedience- the first parents did not listen to God

Who is my neighbour? Lev 19:18- love your neighbour as you love yourself

4 kinds of love according to Greek:

Eros = erotic bond or love

Philia = relation bond

Storge = empathy or familiar bond

Agape = unconditional, unlimited, sacrificial and highest love

Jn 3:16- God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to save us..

Jn 15:13- The greatest love is that one who lays down his life for his friend

1Cor 13:8ff- love is patient, kind, no jealousy, no evil or does not hurt, no revenge, forgives, does good ..

Rom 8: - love fulfils the law

James 2:4ff- prayer without good work is dead or futile

I came not to be served but to serve. I lay down my life for my sheep. As I have loved you so you love one another so that they will know that you are my disciples.

People are to love God supremely and love their neighbours selflessly without any discrimination because all are the children of one God.

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