Gospel: Mark 12:28‐34
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall 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 shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is one and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Reflection
This passage addresses two major teachings from Jesus. The first of these teachings is that there is one God and you should love him with all your soul. This is more than simply attending Mass, but rather to love God with all your soul we must go farther.
Loving God to the extent Jesus speaks of requires us to put our trust in the Lord. Putting our trust in God requires us to understand that God has a place for us and to follow him. This can require us to make some sort of sacrifice in our own lives to love God and his children.
This sacrifice transitions well into the second greatest commandment, which is to love your neighbor as yourself. This refers to our brothers and sisters through all nations and across all divides. This type of love comes in the forms of prayer for these brothers and sisters but also through good works.
Coming from Saint Viator High School I have been exposed to the value of serving others and how that greatly increases my connection with Christ. When we love our neighbors we are promoting the love of God through our own individual actions.
When we look at our neighbors we must look beyond the obvious classmates and friends. Rather, we need to love those who may be viewed as irrelevant by many. Our brothers and sisters deserve certain
rights in their lives and God calls us to help to love and serve these who are left behind by society.
Connor Romenesko 20, Saint Viator High School
VYC Young Adult Leader
- As a college student my life is incredibly hectic and often times God can end up taking a backseat in my daily routine. This Lenten season I plan to devote an hour each day to reflect and pray to improve my relationship with God.
- Being a Viatorian is important to me because I am a product of the Viatorian emphasis on educating young people. Attending Saint Viator High School allowed me to grow in my faith and after graduating, the Viatorians have helped me to grow in my faith and discover my vocation.