Daily Readings - Sun Nov 04 2018
Deuteronomy
2so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.3Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.5Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.6These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Hebrews
23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.25Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.26Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Mark
28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."32"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
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.