Mark 12:28b–34
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us the heart of faith, the secret of happiness: to love God above all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves. There is no greater commandment, because the whole Christian life is born of love and finds its fulfillment in love. To love God with all our heart means to place him first, to trust in him, to seek him every day, and to let ourselves be guided by his will. To love our neighbor means to recognize in every person a child loved by God, worthy of respect, care, understanding, and mercy. The scribe understands a fundamental truth: love is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. We too are called to remember that what truly matters in God’s eyes is not appearances, but a heart that loves deeply and sincerely. A prayer offered with love, a kind word, an act of charity, forgiveness freely given, a hand extended to someone who is suffering all have immense value before God. Every day we have countless opportunities to live out this commandment. Every time we choose patience instead of anger, kindness instead of judgment, forgiveness instead of resentment, we are building the Kingdom of God already here on earth. Dear ones, let us learn more and more the language of heaven, which is the language of love. Let us allow ourselves to be loved by God and become instruments of his love for everyone we meet along our path. Let us remember that, at the end of our life, it will not be the wealth we accumulated or the success we achieved that will matter, but the love we have received and given.
- Rosanna Dora De Lucia
