Ask Jesus your questions!

Mark 12:28-34

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. 30 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” 32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” 34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Food for thought: Ask Jesus!

As we all know, there are too many rules and regulations and commandments in our faith community, so much so that sometimes you wonder which is the most important. This was the question put to Jesus by one of the teachers of religious education: “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus replied, "You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind." These are the words Jesus said in reply to the question posted by a teacher of religion.

The religious teacher had a question for Jesus. I wonder what YOUR question to Jesus would be? What would you ask Jesus? What is your question? What can't you find answer for? What battles you? Bring it to Jesus. Jesus answered and answers whoever comes, and however one comes, to trap him or not, to genuinely know and learn from him or not, with good intentions or not. As you know, «disciple» means learner. In other words, as disciples of Jesus, we are all his learners and he is our teacher.

In Jesus' time, there were hundreds of petty laws and rules and regulations so much so people wanted to know the most important of them. For instance, David reduced all the laws to 11, in Psalm 15. "Lord, who shall sojourn in thy tent? who shall dwell on thy holy hill? He who walks blamelessly. And does what is right. And speaks truth from his heart. Who does not slander with his tongue. And does no evil to his friend. 6. Nor takes up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a reprobate is despised. But who honours those who fear the Lord. Who swears to his own heart and does not change. Who does not put out his money at interest. And does not take a bribe against the innocent."

Isaiah reduced them to 6. (Isa.33:15.)

1. He who walks righteously. 2. And speaks uprightly. 3. Who despises the gain of oppressions. 4. Who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe. 5. Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed. 6. And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil. He shall dwell on high."

The phrophet Micah reduced the 6 to 3. (Mic.6:8.)

"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee? 1. To do justice. 2. To love kindness. 3. To walk humbly with your God."

Once again Isaiah brought the 3 down to 2. (Isa.56:1.) "1. Keep justice. 2. Do righteousness."

Finally Habakkuk reduced them all to one. (Hab.2:4.) "The righteous shall live by his faith."

The scholar of today's gospel was not satisfied with all the attempts and answers. That is why he wanted to know what Jesus says. Before Jesus tells you don't content yourself with others' answers. As Christian you have the right to ask Jesus. And Jesus' answer is clear: «Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.»

Briefly, Jesus is commending us the obvious: each of us can and should love God as much as s/he can, that is, with all OUR heart, all OUR soul, all OUR mind, all OUR strength. In other words, love the Lord YOUR way, for you will never love the Lord the way I love him, and I will never love the Lord the way you love him. God is fair, he only expects you to love him as you, not as me, and expects me to love him as me, not as you. That's why the greatest law is also the fairest.

And finally, the love of God is just one side of the coin. On the other side, it is the love of neighbour; you cannot have one without the other. You cannot love God and hate man, you cannot love man and hate God. That simple.