Coffee With God

Reflection Mark 12:28-34

Today’s text presents Jesus in the temple where, he was asked by a scribe a theological question: “What is the most important commandment?” The scribes had discovered 613 commandments of the Law and the question was: Of these 613, which one is the most important? Many teachers maintained that the most important of the commandments was the observance of the Sabbath, because God himself observed this, as he rested on the seventh day after six days of creation. But Jesus had disagreements on that. The gospel readings of last week was all about Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees regarding the Law of Sabbath. Others believed that “not to have other gods than the only God of Israel” was the most important. Contrary to what the scribe expected, Jesus cites the creed of Israel which is given in the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 6: “Hear, O Israel!” Jesus gives a new way of understanding our relationship with God, where the first command of the Lord is “Hear, O Israel” – ie., “Listen O chosen people of God”. We are the chosen people of God and we must listen to the Word of God and allow it to transforms us. Hear O Israel, Adonai is our one God … if you listen to him, you will keep his word.” “Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your life, with all your strength and with all your mind.” Our entire life project has no other objective than to fulfil the mission entrusted to us on the earth – to do the projects of God. And we do not do this because of any compulsion, rather out of love of God who has designed our life. The Pharisee had asked for the most important commandment, but Jesus gives us two commandments: “To Listen” and “to love”. Then he teaches us that love of God is not possible without love of neighbour. According to Luke’s version of this passage, there is only one commandment: ‘Love God and love your neighbour as yourself’. In the Gospel of John, in chapter 15, Jesus says: “This is my only commandment: “love one another.” In the letter to the Romans, Paul says: ‘All the commandments … do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, they are summarized in these words: you will love your neighbour as yourself.’ How are we to live by this commandment of Jesus? First, Listen to him! To listen to the voice of the Lord, we must resolve to travel with him on the road from Galilee to Jerusalem. Reading Mark’s Gospel is equivalent to making this journey. It may be that having reached the last page, one does not yet dare to offer one’s life with Jesus. There is no need to be discouraged because of this; one must resume the journey with him, starting again from Galilee.