ESSENTIAL VALUES AND ATTITUDES

XXXI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Mk 12:28-34

An important question

People can ask all kinds of questions. And the same question may be asked time and again, sometimes just to test you, most of the times, to get understanding and reassurance.

Jesus was asked many questions by common people, by his disciples, by people of influence and by his enemies. The Pharisees asked Jesus many questions about his doctrine and his mission. In this Sunday’s gospel, the question came from a scribe. The scribes were teachers and interpreters of the Law of Moses. And he asked: “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

A profession of faith: Only God is God

As a scribe, he knew the answer. Maybe, he just wanted to make sure that Jesus knew the answer as well. Jesus answered quoting Dt 6:4-5, which was (and still is) part of the morning and evening daily prayer of the Jews, called Shema. It is not only a prayer, but it is also a profession of faith: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”

We do not believe in many gods. To believe that there is only one God is the most fundamental article of faith, which has profound consequences for our lives. He is life and the source of life. In truth, only He can say “I am!” Nothing can take his place; everything else is relative and only he is absolute. He must occupy the centre of our lives: it is from him that we come, and to him we go, unless we get lost in the way.

Before God, only love matters

Already in the Old Testament, it was stressed that the correct attitude towards God is an attitude of love. God is love, and he calls us to live in love. Once we recognise and accept God, we are filled with his love, and that must be shown in our attitude of love towards our neighbours (see Lev 19:18). That is what matters before God. 

In the end, the scribe praised Jesus, stressing that concern, care and love for our neighbour constitute the true worship, much more important than any sacrifices we may offer to God. Our faith must be expressed in attitudes of love. Only then we will resemble our Father in heaven.