Walking with Jesus: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

For Sunday, November 3, 2024

Deuteronomy 6:2-6, Hebrews 7:23-28, Mark 12:28-34

Today’s readings are exclusively about God. They prompt a question to each of us: Who is God to me? Do I give God all the attention, all the praise, all the glory that I am capable of? Do I feel that God owes me — or, do I owe God? What personally am I most afraid of about God in my relationship with Him? Is God the same to me as He is to each of His creations? Is God close to me? How can I get close to God?

I feel that most people don’t spend much time reflecting on God. Why? Are we afraid that we might have to change parts of our lives that we’re not comfortable with? Maybe it’s because we don’t know whether God cares that much about us. Maybe we’re just “rolling the dice,” hoping He will be more of a loving God than a just God at judgment time. Do we try to hide things from God?

Today’s readings call us into a deeper relationship with God. Moses admonishes the people, saying the way to closeness and understanding God’s love for His chosen people is to keep His commandments. Paul tells the Hebrews repeatedly that Jesus is always able to “save those who approach God through Him, since He lives forever to make intercession for them (and for us).” [Hebrews 7:25] Jesus is asked a question point-blank: “Which is the first of all the commandments?” [Mark 12:28] The scribe asking the question understands and agrees with Jesus that the Jewish Shema prayer, like the commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, forms the basis with the other commandments as well as “… to love your neighbor as yourself.” [Mark 12:31]

Jewish scripture scholars and theologians have studied the commandments given to Moses along with the Shema seen in today’s first passage from Deuteronomy. The Shema implies that Israel must not only “hear” (shema) but also obey God’s commands. All of Israel’s history with God is contained in the phrase “our God.” This is the God who has freed them from Egypt’s slavery, led them through 40 years in the wilderness and brought them finally to the land of promise. They are to worship, love, praise their God, and live His commandments. God’s promises to them are forever. Jesus’ promises of eternal life with God are forever. Obedience to them and for us cannot be just outward conformity to law. It must be total commitment to God. It cannot be half-hearted — it can’t be only when I’m thinking of God or when I can fit it into my schedule, or even in a pick-and-choose mode where I can believe and act in the ways I like while avoiding the “restrictive” laws and commands.

Paul gives an extensive examination of Jesus’ priestly identity by contrasting it with Jerusalem’s priestly ministry. Their ministry is temporal, but Jesus’ ministry is forever. His self-sacrifice says it all because God has appointed and perfected Him as Son. Because He is Son, Jesus’ life is holy, innocent, undefiled, and separated from what is sinful. This is why He has no need to offer sacrifice for His own sins, as do mere humans. Once and for all, He has accomplished what the Levitical priesthood could not accomplish. He died for you, me, and everyone in all of creation who has gone before and is to come. What greater love than to lay down His life for you and me!!! Think on this: He did this for you — for me. Why? His love for you — for me. WOW!

So many times the Gospels have told us that Jesus’ haters and skeptics sought to entrap Him with their questions. So today we ask: Which is the greatest or first or primary commandment of the Mosaic law? The scholars dissected the commandments and came up with a final count of 613. Jesus’ response links Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (today’s passage) with Leviticus 19:18: “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” And today: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone!” [Deuteronomy 6:4]

It has been said that falling in love with God is the central act of the religious person. This is the essence of the covenant that started at Creation and has continued through Abraham to us. We are to love with all our heart and all our soul and all our strength: We are to love God and others as we love ourselves. If only we could realize that God loves us right now, just the way we are … if only we would see in each other the image that God loves so passionately. If — and these are ifs — we too would be definitely close to the reign of God. What’s holding me back? Pray! Love!

So I reflect on:

• Scripture doesn’t tell us what happened to the scribe. I think on what his future was like: Did his life change? How?
• Take a really favorite passage of Scripture you love, sit in your easy chair and read it through four, five, seven — maybe a dozen times. Take notes. What are the verbs? What is Jesus doing here? Does this connect with other Scripture stories? What is the Holy Spirit telling you?

Sacred Space 2024 states:

“Commandment sounds negative and a commandment of love seems ambiguous. However, in looking to Jesus, whose life was one of love, a new understanding is offered. May we draw strength from Him whose food was to do the will of the Father who sent Him in love to bring salvation.

“Love is the heart of life. External actions find their true meaning when they come from that foundation. Lord, may we further Your kingdom by how we live our relationship with You and with one another in love.”