The Sisters of Divine Providence invite you to join us in prayer! Let us welcome the upcoming Lenten season as an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with God through the simple act of prayer.
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We wish you all the blessings of this holy season.
12 March 2010
March 12 Lenten Reflection
March 12, 2010
One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well he had answered them, asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” You shall 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 shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, Teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself,’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that (he) answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions. –Mark 12:28-34
Can you put yourself in this scene for a few minutes? Jesus is in the temple and he is ready for the questions of the scribes and Pharisees. After all, they try to trick him all the time into answering in a way that would get him into trouble.
When asked by one of the scribes what he believes to be the ‘first of all the commandments,’ Jesus seems to take the measure of the man asking. The inquirer seemed to have an understanding of the teachings of Jesus, a sincerity in his questioning that elicited a straightforward responseno parable or story this time. Jesus got right to the heart of the matter.
We are called to love in ways that fulfill the spirit of the Law, not just the letter of the Law. We are called to embody our religious practices with love for God and love for our fellow human beings. We are called not merely to fast, but to deny ourselves so that others may be filled. We are called not only to give alms, but to give from our need. We are called not merely to mouth words of praise for our Provident God, but to co-create with that God a better world.
When we understand these things in our heart, can we be far from the Kingdom of God?
Jean Dennison, Executive Director Office of Mission Advancement
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