Mark 12:28b-34

Deuteronomy 6:2-6

Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51

Hebrews 7:23-28

Mark 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.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I love you. My heart is yours to dwell in. My soul longs to be with you. My mind rejoices to contemplate all you have done for me. My strength depends on your power. May my love for you flourish in service to my brothers and sisters today.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Deuteronomy as Moses’ Last Will and Testament: Today’s First Reading is taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, which contained Moses’ last speeches before his death. When Moses spoke to them, the people of Israel were at the end of their forty years of wandering in the desert. Throughout their time in the wilderness, Israel continually rebelled against the Lord. When Israel worshipped the golden calf at the beginning of their time in the desert, the priesthood was stripped from the first-born sons and reserved to the tribe of Levi (Exodus 32:29). Additional laws about the Levites and the Priesthood were given to the people in the Book of Leviticus. Something similar happens here in the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses responded to the people’s sinful apostasy at Baal Peor (Numbers 25) with more laws that were recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses tried to prepare the people for life in the Promised Land: “He warns the twelve tribes of the challenges they will face in the future and urges them to be mindful of the lessons of the past. Above all, Moses proclaims the Lord’s love for Israel and makes powerful appeals for Israel to return his love by loyal obedience to the covenant” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Deuteronomy, p. 14). Deuteronomy “emphasizes the need to obey the Lord and love him with all one’s heart, anticipating Jesus’ teaching on the first and greatest commandment” (A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament, p. 167).

2. The Two Great Commandments: As the New Lawgiver, Jesus responded to the scribe who asked him about the greatest of the 613 laws given in the Five Books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy). The scribe approved of Jesus’ answer that the first commandment is to love God and that the second is to love our neighbor. The scribe added that living these two commandments was more valuable than all the burnt offerings (holocausts), animal sacrifices, and other offerings made in the Temple in Jerusalem. The sacrifices were rituals that symbolized the worshipper’s self-offering to God. Some sacrifices – like the burnt offering, cereal offering, and peace offering – expressed communion with God. The other two types of sacrifices – the sin offering and the guilt offering – sought to restore communion with God. By proclaiming love of God and love of neighbor as the two greatest commandments, Jesus brings the many and varied laws about sacrifices to their fulfillment. The animal sacrifices commanded by the Law of Moses foreshadowed the perfect self-offering of Jesus, who empowers us with the grace of the Holy Spirit to lovingly offer our lives to God and lovingly serve our brothers and sisters.

3. The Son was Appointed High Priest by Oath: The Second Reading draws out a contrast between the old and the new, between the old priesthood and the new priesthood. The Letter to the Hebrews wants us to understand how Jesus is a priest, especially since he did not descend from the tribe of the Levites or the priestly line of Aaron. The author’s solution in the letter is to refer to a greater priesthood, to that of the royal sons of David. The author points out that the Levitical priests were many and subject to death. As well, the High Priest who descended from Aaron had to offer sacrifices for his own sins and for those of the people. The Aaronic High Priest was appointed by the Law of Moses and not by a covenant oath sworn by God. The greater priesthood is that of Jesus, the Son of God and Son of David, who was appointed by God the Father and perfected (ordained) as a priest through his passion and sacrificial death. Jesus does not have to offer up many sacrifices daily and yearly in the earthly Temple. Jesus has offered up the one perfect and pleasing sacrifice of himself. This sacrifice effectively takes away the sins of the world and offers forgiveness and salvation to those who approach the Father through the Son. Even now, sitting at the right hand of God the Father, Jesus makes intercession for us as our eternal, faithful, and merciful high priest.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, eternal and merciful high priest, intercede for me before the Father and send me your Holy Spirit so that I may love the Father with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Enlighten my mind to know how I am called to serve my brothers and sisters today.

Living the Word of God: During this past week, how have I expressed my love for God the Father? Was I attentive to his Word? Was I docile to his Spirit? Did I converse with him in prayer throughout the day?