Daily Readings - Sun Nov 04 2018

²So may you fear the Lord your God, and keep all his commandments and precepts, which I am entrusting to you, and to your sons and grandsons, all the days of your life, so that your days may be prolonged³Listen and observe, O Israel, so that you may do just as the Lord has instructed you, and it may be well with you, and you may be multiplied all the more, for the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you a land flowing with milk and honey⁴Listen, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord⁵You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength⁶And these words, which I instruct to you this day, shall be in your heart

Hebrews

Chapter 7

²³And certainly, so many of the others became priests because, due to death, they were prohibited from continuing²⁴But this man, because he continues forever, has an everlasting priesthood²⁵And for this reason, he is able, continuously, to save those who approach God through him, since he is ever alive to make intercession on our behalf²⁶For it was fitting that we should have such a High Priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted higher than the heavens²⁷And he has no need, daily, in the manner of other priests, to offer sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people. For he has done this once, by offering himself²⁸For the law appoints men as priests, though they have infirmities. But, by the word of the oath that is after the law, the Son has been perfected for eternity

Mark

Chapter 12

²⁸And one of the scribes, who had heard them arguing, drew near to him. And seeing that he had answered them well, he questioned him as to which was the first commandment of all²⁹And Jesus answered him: "For the first commandment of all is this: ‘Listen, O Israel. The Lord your God is one God³⁰And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from your whole mind, and from your whole strength. This is the first commandment.³¹But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.³²And the scribe said to him: Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth that there is one God, and there is no other beside him³³and that he should be loved from the whole heart, and from the whole understanding, and from the whole soul, and from the whole strength. And to love one’s neighbor as one’s self is greater than all holocausts and sacrifices.³⁴And Jesus, seeing that he had responded wisely, said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared to question him

Sermon

In today's readings, we explore the essence of our faith through three key texts. The first, from Deuteronomy, reminds us to fear God, keep His commandments, and love Him with all our being. This passage, known as the Shema, is a cornerstone of Jewish faith, emphasizing the oneness of God and the commandment to love Him completely. Moses delivers this message as the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land, highlighting the importance of passing these teachings to future generations. The Gospel from Mark builds on this foundation. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus quotes the Shema and adds the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. This exchange with a scribe underscores the continuity between the Old and New Testaments, showing that Jesus' teachings are not new but fulfill the existing scriptures. The scribe's agreement and Jesus' commendation illustrate that understanding and living these commandments is vital for entering the kingdom of God. Hebrews provides the bridge, describing Jesus as the perfect High Priest. Unlike mortal priests, Jesus offers a single, sufficient sacrifice for all sins. His immortality means His priesthood is eternal, continually interceding for us. This reading connects to the others by showing how Jesus enables us to fulfill the commandments through His sacrifice, providing the grace to love deeply. In daily life, these teachings call us to prioritize loving God and our neighbors. It's not just about rituals but about the heart. Jesus' sacrifice gives us the means to live these commandments, emphasizing that true spirituality is rooted in love. As we reflect, let us remember that through Jesus, we have the grace to love more deeply, fulfilling the greatest commandments in our lives.