« During
several Sundays Jesus has been teaching his disciples the difficult lesson
about service, not only doing things, but
giving our own life for the sake of our neighbor.
« Last
Sunday the lesson was about faith, Jesus restores the sight to a blind man.
« On
this XXXI Sunday Jesus will teach us that the love of God and love of neighbor
cannot be separated.
« Israel
knew and taught the love of neighbor as an essential part of their faith, but
« Jesus,
who has reveals to us the real meaning of the Law, says that both commandments
are equal, and that there is no other commandment greater than this.
FIRST READING :
Dt 6:2-6
Ø Moses
speaks to his people and reminds them the fear of God and the need to be
faithful in keeping the commandments if we want to have a long life. For Israel
a long life and the abundance of goods are a
blessing. Both things are
considered to be the recompense for a good life, and it is symbolized in the
land that flows milk and honey. This way
of understanding life is different from
the teaching of Jesus, who has said: blessed are you poor…
Ø Listen
Israel… keep the commandments that I give to you today, teach them to the next
generations.
Ø “Listen”
means “obey”; this obedient listening has to be present in all the different
aspects of the believer’s life.
Ø After
this introduction, the author of the Deuteronomy presents the creed of Israel “Shema” : The Lord is the only lord.
o
Israel knows that each country has its own
divinities. As we know the revelation
from God is progressive, in the stage they are they know that their God is
different from all the other gods, He is unique and that He does not allow any
competition with the false gods.
o
Only two centuries later Israel will confess and
know that there is only one God, that there is no other God besides the God of
Israel who is the God of all. (Is
41,4;43,11-13;44,6)
Ø
The Shema continues to say
o
You shall love the Lord your God with:
§ all your heart,
§ all your soul,
§ all your mind, and
§ all your strength.
o
Nothing can remain outside the Law of the love
of God.
Ø Every
faithful Israelite recited this creed every day more than once, so he would not
forget the wonderful works God had done for them. The law of love was Israel’s
answer to the unconditional love of God for them.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM – Ps 18 I LOVE
YOU, O LORD, MY STRENGTH
ü This psalm sings the wonderful works that God has
done for Israel during the Exodus from
Egypt and in other times of trouble,
ü The wonderful works he does in the life of
those who love him.
ü And
our response will be “I love you Lord.”
o
You are my rock, my deliverer, my refuge
o
Your are worthy of praise
GOSPEL Mk 12:28b-34
« This
passage comes after the discussion of Jesus with the Sadducees who did not
believe in the resurrection.
« A
teacher of the Law, a Pharisee, is listening to the discussion. He is confused
about the law. Over the years Israel had multiplied the precepts of the law to
the point that they had about 630.
« He
approaches Jesus and asks which one is the most important of all the
commandments.
« Jesus
answers him with the “Shema” that he
had recited that same morning,
o
You shall love the Lord your God with
§ all your heart,
§ all your soul,
§ all your mind, and
§ all your strength.
« But
Jesus does not end here his answer to the Pharisee he continues to say: there
is another commandment which constitutes with this one a commandment with two
directions: God and neighbor. There is no greater commandment than this; and
the two parts of it cannot be separated.
« The
Pharisee says that this is so, that love of God and love of neighbor is greater
than any offering or holocaust.
« And
Jesus answers him you are not far from the Kingdom of God, that is, from the community of the disciples of Jesus.
« Jesus
has come to reveal to us the truth of the Law as it is in the heart of God:
LOVE, which is God himself.
SECOND READING : Heb 7:23-28
ü We
continue the Reading of this letter which is a meditation on the priesthood of
Christ, the high priest of the new law.
ü The
priests of the old law, being human limited by their sins and by death, had to
offer the sacrifice over and over.
ü Therefore, he is always able to save those who
approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.
ü He
is the High priest that we needed: holy, innocent.
ü The
Law appoints priest who are weak,
ü But
the oath of God, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
CLARETIAN CORNER
My God, give me a zeal that is discreet and prudent so
that I may do everything strongly yet sweetly, meekly yet thoroughly. I hope to
act in all things with a holy prudence, and to this end I shall try to remember
that prudence is born in man along with his natural reason, is nurtured by
study, strengthened by age, clarified by consulting those who are wise, and
perfected in daily experience. Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder of the Claretian Missionary Sisters.
Autobiography 383.
BIBLIOGRAFÍA
CLARET, Antonio María. Autobiography.
PAGOLA, José A. Following in the Footsteps of Jesus. Meditation on the Gospels
of Year B. Convivium, Bogotá 2011.
PARIS, María Antonia. Autobiography.
Ravassi, Gianfranco. Según las
Escrituras- Año B. San Pablo Bogotá
2005.
Schokel, Luis Alonso, La Biblia de nuestro Pueblo.
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