Daily Readings - Sun Oct 31 2021
Deuteronomy
2That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.3Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Hebrews
23And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:24But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Mark
28And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.31And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.32And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:33And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.34And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the heart of our faith: love. In Deuteronomy, Moses calls the people to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength, and to pass this love on to future generations. This command is not just about rules but about relationship—a deep, personal bond with the one true God. In the Gospel, Jesus reaffirms this when a scribe asks him about the greatest commandment. Jesus quotes the Shema from Deuteronomy and adds the command to love our neighbor as ourselves, emphasizing that these two loves are inseparable. The scribe recognizes the truth in Jesus’ words, and Jesus commends him, saying he is close to the kingdom of God.
The second reading from Hebrews helps us understand how Jesus makes this love possible. As our eternal high priest, Jesus offers a once-for-all sacrifice that frees us from sin and enables us to approach God confidently. His priesthood is perfect because he is holy, innocent, and undefiled, and his sacrifice is sufficient for all time. This means we don’t have to earn God’s love; it is already given to us in Jesus. Our response, then, is to live out of this love, letting it shape every part of our lives.
So how do we apply this to our daily lives? First, we must remember that love is the foundation of everything. Loving God and neighbor is not just a feeling but a choice we make every day. It means putting God first, even when it’s hard, and treating others with the same kindness and compassion we desire for ourselves. Second, we must recognize that this love is only possible because of Jesus. His sacrifice frees us to live without fear and to trust in his mercy. Finally, we are called to share this love with others, just as Moses shared it with the Israelites and just as Jesus shared it with the scribe. May we live today in the reckless, self-giving love of God, knowing that this is the heart of the kingdom.