31st Sunday of the Year, B – November 3, 2024.
Readings: Deut. 6:2-6; Ps 17:2-4,47,51; Hebrews 7:23-28; Gospel – Mark 12:28-34.
Our first reading reveals the assurances of Moses to the people of Israel that if they fear the Lord and serve him all their days by keeping his laws and commandments, they, their children, and their grandchildren would live long. The second reading discloses Jesus’ eternal priesthood and his intercessory role for our sake. In the Gospel, Jesus gives a summary of the law and the prophets as the love of God and neighbour. Our liturgy reveals how Jesus lauds the scribe who said the love of God and neighbour is the supreme law. We are invited to embrace the love of God and neighbour as eternal secrets of the kingdom of truth, justice, and peace.
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, today our liturgy reminds us that the Ten Commandments of God (Exodus 20:1-17) are summarised into the love of God and the love of neighbour (Mark 12:30-31). This is why our reflection titled “Love as Secret of the Kingdom” calls us to measure our love for God on the love of neighbour.
Background & Summary of the Readings
Our first reading (Deuteronomy 6:2-6) reveals the assurances of Moses to the people of Israel that if they fear the Lord and serve him all their days by keeping his laws and commandments, they, their children, and their grandchildren would live long. It adds that if they keep this covenantal patrimony that they received from their fathers, God will give them a land flowing with “milk and honey.” It concludes by calling them thus: “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart.”
The second reading (Hebrews 7:23-28) discloses Jesus’ eternal priesthood and his intercessory role for our sake. It reveals that he is interceding for us perpetually before the father. It assures that his kind of priesthood differs from that of high priests who offer daily sacrifices. On the contrary, he offered one single sacrifice for sins and is above human weakness.
In the Gospel (Mark 12:28-34), Jesus gives a summary of the law and the prophets as the love of God and neighbour. It reveals how Jesus lauds the scribe who said the love of God and neighbour is the supreme law. Christ tells him: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” What then are the demands of this love we are talking about?
Unconditional Love: A Narrative
A farmer went to the field one day to cultivate. During the work, he glanced at the mango tree and saw a big ripe mango he picked. An idea happened to him not to eat this mango, but to bring it to his wife whom he loved so much, even though he himself was starving. When he got home, he called his wife and gave him this mango to show him his love.
Very happy with this precious gift, the woman thought directly of her child who had gone to school. She took this mango, thanked her husband sincerely, and reassured her that she would eat it afterward. The woman hid the mango and decided to give it to her son as soon as he returned from school to show him his love.
As soon as the child came home from school, the mother gave him this mango with a lot of joy in his heart. The child thanked his mother warmly for this precious gift and told his mother that he would eat it later. He, too, resolved to hide this mango and make a surprise gift to his father who pays him for school, believing that Dad knows nothing about this mango.
In the evening while everyone was eating the family meal, the child said to his father, “One minute Dad, I bring you a present because I love you so much.” He ran to his room took the mango and gave it to his father. Surprised to see the same mango he had given to his beloved wife returned to him again, without comment, he asked for the knife and shared it equitably between himself, his wife, and his child. All ate this mango with a lot of joy.
That’s how love works. When you give love, it comes back to you in another way, because love is the most extraordinary force that governs the universe of God. Let’s love unconditionally.
Pastoral Lessons
1. Serve God: The first reading invites us to embrace the vertical dimension of love through serving the Lord all our days – the blessing attached to that is that we will live long to see our children’s children.
2. Obey God: The liturgy suggests that obedience to God through keeping and observing his laws and commandments of God will prosper us, and grant an increase to all that we do as per the promises he made to our ancestors.
3. Love Neighbour: As individuals and members of the Church, we are challenged to wholeheartedly embrace the horizontal dimension of love – love of neighbour by engraving it in our hearts.
4. Seek Intercession: Since the second reading presents us with Christ as a compassionate high priest who intercedes for us perpetually, we are urged to approach God with confidence through intercessory prayers.
5. Embrace Agape: Our liturgy warns against eros just as it encourages us to embrace Agape – the love of God which is the basis of philia.
Summary Lines
1. Our first reading reveals the assurances of Moses to the people of Israel that if they fear the Lord and serve him all their days by keeping his laws and commandments, they and their children as well as grandchildren would live long.
2. The second reading discloses Jesus’ eternal priesthood and his intercessory role for our sake.
3. In the Gospel, Jesus gives a summary of the law and the prophets as the love of God and neighbour.
4. It reveals how Jesus lauds the scribe who said the love of God and neighbour is the supreme law.
5. Christ tells him: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
Conclusion
Our liturgy charges us to take a bold step in unconditionally loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. It also calls us to give in charity until it hurts and do something extraordinary for our neighbour for the sake of Christ. We are invited to embrace the love of God and neighbour as eternal secrets of the kingdom of truth, justice, and peace. In case you are in doubt about what to do, remember the story of the family that shared a mango. Always measure your love for God by the ruler of love of God – only then would you be said to be close to the kingdom. Happy Sunday!
