The cross above Good Shepherd Chapel

Day

31

Our Full Love

Lent 2020

Read Mark 12:13-34

13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?" 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." 17 Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him. 18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife." 24 Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong." 28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" 29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 32 And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. It’s direct enough. It isn’t too complicated to understand. It isn’t anything new. But we fail at it miserably. I’m not sure it’s possible, but we try to love God with only some of our heart, part of our soul, parts of our mind, a little bit of our strength, and hope that it’s the thought that counts, or that we can at least get an “A” for effort. But, then again, our thoughts and effort are actually part of the problem. Aren’t there times when our attempts to love God with heart, soul, mind and strength have nothing to do with pure motives or genuine thoughts? How often does this commandment really receive our full effort?

There are plenty of “religious things” we can put our energy and focus into that have nothing to do with what God wants from us and for us. Even this command can be turned into empty religious activity which gives a good “appearance,” but really is just that - appearance. This is all the more reason to give God thanks for His endless mercy. It is His mercy which covers our sin with the blood of Christ, redeeming us from the condemnation we should face. It is his mercy that also creates in us pure hearts renewed by the Holy Spirit, restored to love God and love our neighbor. It is his mercy which does that today, tomorrow, the day after, and every day to come.

Prayer

Lord, forgive me for not loving you with all I am in heart, soul, mind, and strength. Make me a new creation to love you and love my neighbor. Amen.

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