31ST SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

Deuteronomy 6:2-6

Psalm 17

Hebrews 7:23-28

Mark 12:28-34

  

SHEMA ISRAEL

When asked, “Which is the greatest commandment?”, the Jewish Rabbi Hillel the Elder, a great scholar of the first century before Christ, gave this famous reply: “What you hate for yourself, do not do to your neighbour. This is the whole Law; the rest is commentary. Go and learn.”

In today’s gospel, the same question is put to Jesus by one of the scribes: “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus replied that love of God and love of neighbour.  He made a reference to the great “Shema Israel” as presented in the first reading: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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” (Deut. 6:2-6). But Jesus added: “the second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28-34). 

  

In fact, the “Shema Israel” was a profession of faith, and at the same time a call to obedience through listening to God’s voice, observing diligently his precepts and loving him unconditionally and without reserve. For he alone is the unique and true God. However, according to St John, he who says he loves God but hates his brother is a liar (1 John 4:20). Thus, the love of God and the love of the neighbour are like the two sides of a coin: they are inseparable.

But if loving God means obeying his voice and worshipping him faithfully, what does love of neighbour entails? Love simply means seeking the good of the other for the sake of the other. It is agape love; and Jesus Christ is our model of this free, total and unconditional love. During his earthly life, he went about doing good to people. In obedience to his Father and for love of mankind, he offered himself on the cross once for all as a perfect and pleasing sacrifice to God. Thus, he has become the High Priest par excellence; and his priesthood lasts forever (Heb. 7:23-28). Let us therefore ask him to teach us to love and serve him in our neighbours. Amen.