‘Choosing to respond in ‘holiness and faithfulness’ – with much love of God and neighbour – even in ‘harsh and fiery’ situations of life!”

(Based on Hos 14:2-10 and Mk 12:28-34 – Friday of the 3rd Week of Lent)

A missionary in a particular place came across a man who had bandaged and scarred hands.

When asked what had happened, he said, “My neighbour’s straw roof was on fire.

I helped him to put it out and that’s how my hands were burned.”

It was only later that the whole story was known.

The neighbour hated him and had in anger, set his roof on fire…
… while his wife and children were asleep in the hut.

They were in great danger.

Providentially, the Christian was able to put out the fire in his house on time.

But sparks flew over to the roof of the man who had set the house on fire…
… and his house started to burn.

There was no hate in the heart of this Christian!

There was only love for his enemy
And so, he did everything he could to put out the fire in his neighbour’s house.

That is how his own hands were burned!

Life was being pretty ‘harsh and fiery’ to him…
… but he chose to respond in ‘holiness and faithfulness!’

Am I ready to live a “life of love?”
… love that reaches out to the other in selflessness
… love that stems forth from a passionate love for God

The Gospel of the Day, is a challenging invitation to reflect on this fundamental aspect of our Christian Life.

The incident mentions a scribe, who had been watching his fellow-scribes in an argument with the Lord…
… and feeling impressed with Jesus, comes up to Him with a question:
“Which commandment is the first of all” (Mk 12:28)

We are not too sure of the motive of this scribe.

As per the versions of the same incident, in St Matthew (Mt 22:35) and St Luke (Lk 10:25), the person posed this question to Jesus, in order to “test him.”

The Markan version is however, silent on this aspect.

Whatever be the intention, the scribe most certainly was reflecting a common query…
… that was widespread among the teachers and scholars of the Law: Which is the first of all the commandments?

God had issued the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel.

These laws were intended for the people of Israel to be “distinguished” as the chosen nation of the Lord – chosen from among all others in the world.
These laws – simple and direct in nature – were aimed towards demanding a total loyalty from the people, to the Lord.

However, over time, these uncomplicated laws by which the people of Israel were to live…
… began to be expanded and extended and expounded.

It resulted in 613 commandments or stipulations:

365 of them (corresponding to the number of days in a year) were negative commandments, as in ” You shall not…”
And 248 of them (corresponding to the number of bones and major organs in the body, as per the Jewish understanding) were positive commandments, as in “You shall…”

When the Lord was asked to mention the First of all these Commandments…
… He puts forward the basis and the foundation of all these various laws, stipulations and 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” (Mk 12: 30)

And “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mk 12: 31)

Note the insistence on the word “all”….
… “all” your heart… feelings, emotions, desires
… “all” your soul… will, choices, decisions
… “all” your mind… reason, knowledge, memory
… “all” your strength… talents, abilities, capacities

The Lord commands a “total” and “complete” loving!

He does not permit compromises to let our wishes to slide through…
He demands an “absolute” and “unadulterated” love!

As Christians, we often…
… seek to find “loopholes” in laws of loving the Lord and our neighbour
Our selfishness often creeps in…
Our personal desires often spoil it…
Our sinful tendencies often gain an upper hand…

But the insistence of the Lord is clear:
“Love Fully”
“Love Totally”
“Love Completely”

This is the ideal to which we, as Christians are called!

If not for this loftiest ideal, our life as a Christian would fail to be different from others!

Each of us as Christians are called…
… “to be holy”
… “to be set apart”
… “to be different”

This holiness comes when we seek for the highest ideal…
… loving God totally and expressing this love wholly to our neighbour.

Life will often be ‘harsh and fiery’…

Let us choose to respond in ‘holiness and faithfulness!’

The call is indeed great and very lofty!

The Lord is knocking at the door of our hearts.

Let us, at this moment, place our hands on our heart, and answer Him:
“I LOVE YOU, LORD!”…
… and reach out this passionate love in service to one another!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Ten Commandments – The Fourth Commandment

The fourth commandment is addressed expressly to children in their relationship to their father and mother…

… because this relationship is the most universal. (CCC # 2199)