Which Is The First Of All Commandments

As one gets older the issue of death becomes more prominent in one’s thoughts. Questions like, “what happens after death? And will I be judged compassionately? Will I go to heaven or hell? Come around with increasing frequency. We try not to be absorbed by these questions but they return from time to time. The questions are often linked to another, which is how have I lived? Have I done what is necessary to fulfill my purpose in life?

Whatever our vocation may be, to whatever we may have dedicated ourselves, our Christian faith tells us that we must never be the primary purpose of our lives. Our faith tells us that we must be persons for others. The Gospel reading for this weekend tells us who these others are and the relationship which we must have with them. We are told that one of the Scribes asks Jesus, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” The Scribe is in fact asking, what is my purpose in life? and 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 your entire mind, and with all your strength.
Jesus does not end there however; he goes on and adds another dimension to this commandment. He adds “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” The scribe who is a wise person replies, “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 neighbour as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The scribe is wise because he recognizes a scale of values in our endeavours. To love God and to love neighbour as ourselves is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. Jesus of course is quoting the Old Testament for the scribe (Deut. 6, 4-5 & Leviticus 9,18) but we know that Jesus in his own life and in his teaching just before his death, goes even further and tells his disciples; “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” Jesus makes ‘love of neighbour as he has loved us’ the proof of discipleship. With such love we are not only near, we are part of the Kingdom of God.

The problem for all of us is the scale of values which we have established. So often our professional progress, our possessions, our comfort, our power, have been the primary focus of our life and activities, without much reference to God or to others. Very often God has been relegated to a prayer in the morning and evening and to Mass or service on the weekend and love of the neighbour as ourselves has been reduced to charitable handouts. And if we begin to talk about “Love as Christ loved us”, then we are truly far from the Kingdom of God.

This particular gospel reading seeks to bring us back to the fundamentals of Christian life, “love of God and love of neighbour as we love ourselves, or as Christ has loved us” Today we thank God for the Saints of the Church and of the world, for the many simple people, unknown and unheralded, who show us that it is possible to have a scale of values in our lives which puts God first. We must question ourselves however. What scale of values do we have? Unless it is that of the wise scribe of the gospel passage, the questions that surround our certain death are like to leave us a bit apprehensive to say the least. When we put ourselves before others we are far from the Kingdom of God. We are only near to the Kingdom when the scale of values which we espouse puts love of God first. This love of God if it is true flows into love of neighbour because we recognize God in the neighbour. When we love as Christ loved us we are no longer near to the Kingdom, we are part of it.

Prayer

All powerful and ever-loving God we live in a world which does not share your wisdom. Riches, power, control, the pursuit of pleasure are all things which have usurped your place in our hearts. Truly we no longer value you as the most important person in our lives. We need conversion, Father. Give us your Grace, bring us back to YOU so that loving You with all your heart, with all your soul, with your entire mind, and with all your strength, we may be able to recognize You in others and so love them as we love ourselves. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our Mother and your son Jesus. Amen

Gospel Mk 12:28b-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.