is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is: Hear, Israel! The Lord, our God, is One Lord;
and you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind
and with all your strength. And after this comes a second commandment: You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these two.”
The teacher of the law said to him, “Well spoken, Master; you are right when you say that he
is one, and there is no other besides him. To love him with all our heart, with all our
understanding and with all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves is more important
than any burnt offering or sacrifice.”
Jesus approved this answer and said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that,
no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Reflect
In some cultures, June is a traditional month for weddings, so it seems particularly appropriate
that today’s readings focus on love. In the first reading, Tobias and Sara are newly married,
spending their first night together as husband and wife. They begin their married life with prayer,
asking God to bless their love and the family that they will create. Moreover, their married love
would reflect the divine communion of love in the Holy Trinity.
But though not everyone is called to marriage, we are all called to a life of love that reflects the
divine love. In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches his listeners that the two greatest commandments
require love of God and neighbor. No matter our age or our state in life, we are called to live in
love, as God has loved us. By giving ourselves in love and service to our brothers and sisters,
we witness to our love for the God we cannot see, and we help others come to know God and
enter into his kingdom.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023