Mark 12:28-34

In this weekend’s Gospel, when a scribe asks Jesus to identify the first commandment, he answered with what the ancient Israelites referred to as the shema: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This invites us to examine our conscience. Is God the one Lord of your life? Who or what are God’s rivals for your attention or your ultimate concern? Or, turn the question around: Does everything in your life belong to God? Your health, your body, your parents, your siblings, your spouse, your children—name anyone or anything in your life: they belong to God. 

So, how does one give oneself to a reality that cannot be seen? This is where the second commandment of Jesus comes into play. When asked which is the first of all the commandments, Jesus responded with the “shema,” but then he placed a second command alongside it—namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

There is a strict logic at work here. When you really love someone, you tend to love, as well, what they love. I remember my first Christmas at Saint Brendan, Father Tom Woost found out that I had never seen “It’s a Wonderful Life.” In the days that followed, he and another priest friend made me watch it. Toward the end, I glanced over at them and caught them fighting tears. After it was over, right away, the two of them said in unison: “So, did you love it?!” 

My reply was: “I love it because you love it.” What does God love? God loves everything and everyone He has created. So, if you want to love God, and you find this difficult because God seems so distant, love everyone you come across, and you will be loving God.

Fr. Terry