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Gospel Reading for March 28, 2025 – Mark 12: 28-34
INSEPARABLE
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.
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During Jesus’ times, there was so much hulabaloo on the Commandments. The Commandments are INSEPARABLE because to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength means we do everything he commands us. Nothing more, nothing less. Our Love for God can be measured by what and how much we are willing to give up for him. We cannot honestly say we love him when we turn a blind eye to those in need around us. We cannot honestly say we love him if we cannot forgive all those who have wronged us. We cannot honestly say we love him if we cannot die to ourselves for him.
This is how very simple the commandments of God are. They reflect the kind of God we have and when we follow, it reflects how much we truly love him.
Let us ponder on this hymn written by Rev. Carey Landry, LOSE YOURSELF IN ME –
Lose yourself in me and you will find yourself.
Lose yourself in me and you will find new life.
Lose yourself in me and you will find yourself,
and you will live, yes, you will live in my heart.
Unless a grain of wheat, falls into the ground,
it still remains but a grain of wheat.
But if it falls and dies, then it bears much fruit,
so it is with those who lose themselves in me.
Though foxes have their dens, birds a little nest,
the Son of man, no place to rest.
Whoever loves his life or strives the world to gain,
will only find that life was lived in vain.
If we have died with Him, we shall live with Him.
If we endure, we’ll reign with Him.
Though faithless we may be, faithful he’ll remain,
for how can Christ be false unto Himself.
