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Commentaries
English
Mark
  
9. The Great Commandment
(Mark 12:28-34)
28Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”29Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.31And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”32So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.33And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’ neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”34Now when Jesus saw that He answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” But after that no one dared question Him.


Do you believe that God exists? Then love him, for he created you, showered you with good things, and blessed you incessantly. He saved you, gave you life, strengthened you, and will take you to his own glory. He who does not love God is criminal against him who loved him.
Do you know that God is present with you, and that he is the All-Ruling? Then honor his presence in you, and worship to him, for he created the universe out of nothing, and he knows all men, the good and the evil, by names, including you.
The great, holy God loves you wretched man, for he also loves the wicked. He did not want to destroy them, because of their sins, but he gave his Anointed One to purify men that whoever believes in him should not perish but have the power of everlasting life in him.
Did you sense the great extent of the love of God? The holy Father gave his only Son instead of us hardhearted and stubborn that we might turn to him, open our hearts to his love, be changed from haters to lovers, and not hate men any longer, but love everyone with all our hearts.
You may say that God is one, then how do you we say that Christ is the Son of God? We answer with all clarity that love means both oneness and multiplicity. God is one as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; as Jesus said: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father. I and My Father are one.” (John 14:9; 10:30)
As such Christ testified before the representative of the scribes, saying, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” However the scribe was not satisfied with this saying, but he went on saying, “And there is no other but He”, because he had not known God yet in his truth, but saw him as a stiff idol. His limited understanding could not grasp the fact that God had a Son of his Spirit, who is one with him from everlasting to everlasting.
Yet, in spite of his narrow-mindedness, he sensed Christ’s wisdom and kindness, and opened his heart to him, and Jesus confirmed to him that he was not far from the kingdom of God.
Do you really love God? Then keep his commandments, and devote your heart, your thoughts, and your strength to your Lord. Do not obey yourself. Do not submit to the developments of modern technology. Do not adore misleading books, or be enthusiastic for TV movies. God alone is worthy of your love. So, serve him with all your heart, giving your time and money in the way of his service.
Do you feel your weakness in practicing the love of God? We are weak too. But we quote the statement of the apostle Paul: “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5) This heavenly power helps us to love both God and men. It is not we who love, but God who dwells in us. The Holy Spirit will not give rest to you until you have forgiven all your enemies their sins against you, and humbled yourself to make peace with them. You have to see the love of God, which forgave you your faults on the cross, and this makes you prepared to confess to everyone you did wrong to, and ask his forgiveness.
Did you observe, in the discussion between Christ and the teacher of the Law, that the latter concentrated on the oneness of God, while Jesus spoke about love to God? Jesus did not deny the oneness of God at all, but he emphasized the love of the Holy One, which is the mystery of his oneness in the Trinity, for God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him.

Prayer
O Holy Father, you are love. Put the fire of your love into our hearts that our thanking for your faithfulness may be magnified. We worship to you because you manifested yourself in your Son and established your Spirit in us that we may love you and love all men, serve them in your kindness, and testify before them the great mystery that you are one God in a Holy Trinit your love may dwell in them too, and they may know you in your holy love. Amen.
Question
How is the belief in one God concerned with our love to him and to all men?