Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

November 4, 2018 

Readings:

First Reading: Deuteronomy 6: 2-6

Psalm: 18

Second Reading: Hebrew 7: 23-28

Gospel reading according to Mark 12: 28b-34

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Homily:

As early as the 11th century BCE, scribes in Ancient Israel, were distinguished professionals who would exercise functions which today could be associated with lawyers, journalists, government ministers, judges, or financiers. Some scribes also copied documents, but this was not necessarily part of their job (en.wikipedia.org).  The scribes studied the Law of Moses; called the Torah or the Five Books of Moses, the history of Israel and the books of the prophets. That is why they are familiar with the Books of Moses, especially on the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  “One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’” (Mk. 12: 28).  This scribe wanted to test Jesus if he was familiar and knowledgeable with the Ten Commandments and the 636 other Jewish laws that surround the Ten Commandments.  Or he has other intention why he was asking Jesus about the greatest commandment, for he did not understand very well this Law and he wanted to be sure that what he knew about it was right.  He wanted to be enlightened by Jesus, whom he called teacher.

Jesus who was so open-minded answered the question of that scribe with fervent love and understanding.  He gave instead of one but two greatest commandments that cannot separated the one from the other, as if they are one coin with two faces.  “The Great Commandment (or Greatest Commandment) is a name used in the New Testament to describe the first of two commandments cited by Jesus (in Mark 12:28–34). These two commandments are paraphrases taken from the Old Testament and are commonly seen as important to Jewish and Christian ethics.  “Jesus replied, ‘The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength’.” (Mk. 12: 29-30; cf. Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Deuteronomy 11:13-21, Numbers 15:37–41), before also referring to a second commandment, "The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no other commandment greater than these’.” (Mk. 12: 31; cf. Leviticus 19:18).  Most Christian denominations consider these two commandments to be the core of correct Christian lifestyle (en.wikipedia.org/wiki).

Now, after what Jesus taught him, the scribe learned from Jesus the true meaning of the first and greatest commandment.  “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’.” (Mk. 12: 32-33). It made it clear to him the importance of that commandment to be lived in and only by copying or uttering by mere words. 

Jesus saw also the sincerity of this scribe. “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 any more questions” (Mk. 12: 34).