MY daily reflection and prayer:
Friday, March 04, 2016
The Third Week of Lent
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St. Mark 12:28-34
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and 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.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any question.
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
ONE of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked, “Which commandment is the first of all?” And this is Jesus’ answer, “The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and 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.”
In today’s Gospel Jesus Christ teaches us to love God with our whole heart, soul and mind and with all our strength. He teaches us also to love our neighbors as ourselves. These are the first and the second commandments we shall resonate in our heart and actions. We shall do it well in our lives.
Surely, loving God and our neighbors is at the heart of our perfection. Even, Jesus himself congratulates the scribe for his understanding about love. Jesus tells him that he is not far from the Kingdom of God.
In his Bull of Indiction of The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy “Misericordiae Vultus”, Pope Francis invites us to hold an initiative of “24 hours for the Lord” on Friday and Saturday (March, 04-05 ) preceeding the Fourth Week of Lent. In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist we adore Jesus Christ as our action to love God with our whole heart, soul and mind and with all our strength. There we also love our neighbors by praying for them before the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, we want to draw closer to the Kingdom of God as our biggest priority not only by loving God and our neighbors. Help us to keep in mind your commandment of love and to live it with all our strength now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
