First Reading Deuteronomy 6:2-6
Moses teaches the people to love and worship God alone.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 18:2-3,3-4,47,51
A prayer of praise to God our strength
Second Reading Hebrews 7:23-28
Jesus intercedes for us as our eternal high priest.
Gospel Reading Mark 12:28b-34
Jesus is questioned by a scribe about the greatest commandment.
Background on the Gospel Reading
As we continue to read from Mark’s Gospel, our Lectionary skips a chapter that helps set the context for today’s reading. If we were to read the sections skipped (chapter 11 and part of chapter 12), we would hear about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, his cleansing of the Temple, and the questioning of Jesus’ authority by the chief priests, scribes, and elders. The context, therefore, for this Gospel is Jesus’ growing exposure before the Jewish authorities. Jesus is being questioned and tested by the Jewish authorities, yet the scribe who addresses Jesus in today’s Gospel seems to be an admirer; he is not testing Jesus.
The question posed in today’s Gospel requires Jesus to interpret the Law of Moses. The Mosaic Law consists of the Ten Commandments and many additional commandments, numbering into the hundreds. For a devout Jew, adherence to the Mosaic Law is an expression of faithfulness to God’s covenant with Israel. The ranking of these commandments was regularly debated among the teachers of the Law.
Jesus was not the only Jewish religious teacher to connect these two commandments, love of God and love of neighbor. Both of these commandments were central elements of the religious tradition that Jesus learned from his Jewish community. Indeed, these commandments continue to be central aspects of contemporary Jewish religious understanding. Jesus’ response to his questioners proposed an integral connection between these two aspects of the Jewish Law. Love of God finds its expression in our love for our neighbor. Many believe, however, that this connection was heard in a new and fresh way when spoken by Jesus.
The scribe who questions Jesus in today’s Gospel engages in a positive dialogue with Jesus. He agrees with Jesus’ teaching that the commandments to love God and love neighbor stand above the commandment to offer worship and sacrifice in the Temple. With this dialogue, Jesus appears to close the debate with the Jewish authorities. Mark reports that no one dared to question Jesus further.
September 22: Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time -The parable of the Unjust Steward
September 11 – Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Joyful Finding
September 8 - Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time : Hating our own life
September 01 - Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time : Take the Lower Place
August 25 – Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C : Enter through the narrow Gate
August 18 : The Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven – Crown of Glory
August 11 - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Being Faithful & Being Prepared
August 4 - Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Fool’s Vanity
July 28 - Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Asked and Answered
July 21 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Serving God and Serving Neighbour
July 14 – Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: What We Must Do
July 7 - Fourteenth Sunday in the Ordinary Time: I have a mission
June 30 - Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Free to Follow
June 23 - The Feast of Corpus Christi: the Living bread
June 16 - Holy Trinity Sunday: One God in Three persons
June 9 - PENTECOST SUNDAY
June 2 - SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Mat 26 - SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
May 19 - FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
May 12 - Fourth Sunday of Easter: The Good Shepherd Sunday
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