TODAY’S WORD…

One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to Him, “Which is the first of all the Commandments?” Jesus replied, “This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must 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 must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

– Mark 12:28-31

REFLECTION…

Our Lord points out that the whole law can be condensed into two Commandments: the first and more important consists in unconditional love of God; and the second which is a consequence and result of the first, because when we love man we love God, for man is the image of God.

Our Lord establishes, as the guideline for our love of neighbour, the love each of us has for himself or herself. Both love of others and love of self are based on love of God. Love of self – of the right kind – must be based on God’s love for man, and it necessarily involves forgetting oneself in order to love God and to love others for God.

Jesus gave us the perfect example when He forgot “Himself” out of His love for the Father and died on the cross to save us – a supreme act of love for mankind.

PRAYER…

Lord, I want to love with the power of Your love.