First reading 2 Timothy 2:8-15
If we have died with Christ then we shall live with Christ
Remember the Good News that I carry, ‘Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot chain up God’s news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it.
Here is a saying that you can rely on:
If we have died with him, then we shall live with him.
If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him.
If we disown him, then he will disown us.
We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful,
for he cannot disown his own self.
Remind them of this; and tell them in the name of God that there is to be no wrangling about words: all that this ever achieves is the destruction of those who are listening. Do all you can to present yourself in front of God as a man who has come through his trials, and a man who has no cause to be ashamed of his life’s work and has kept a straight course with the message of the truth.
Responsorial Psalm 24(25):4-5,8-10,14
Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my saviour.
In you I hope all day long
The Lord is good and upright.
He shows the path to those who stray,
He guides the humble in the right path,
He teaches his way to the poor.
His ways are faithfulness and love
for those who keep his covenant and law.
The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him;
to them he reveals his covenant.
Gospel Mark 12:28-34
‘You are not far from the kingdom of God’
One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.
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To love fully to the end
In the first reading, St. Paul states: “We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful…”. Let us stay and allow these words to touch our hearts and give us the peace and comfort we need. God loves us with His unfailing faithfulness. When we feel that our burdens are weighing us down, when we find ourselves living in loneliness, when sickness strikes us, etc, God commits Himself to walk with us and care for us today, tomorrow and forever. Today, He asks us to stay faithful to Him. Often, it is so easy to say “yes” to love God, but we fail to remain steadfast in saying “yes” to Him each and every day. In this time of prayer, let us be aware of God’s presence. He waits for us. Let Him love us even when we find ourselves at our worst.
In the gospel, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment we need to obey is to love God, love others as we love ourselves. Let us not lose sight of what matters in life: the primacy of love. Let us ask Jesus to give us the faithfulness to love fully.
Reflective question:
How can I love God, others and myself today?
How can I love God, others and myself today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
