Ex Toto Corde | Wholeheartedly

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." - Mark 12: 29 (RSV-CE).

Today's reflection is taken from the book of Mark 12: 28-34 and Hosea 14: 4. It describes how God, as a Father who loves us patiently, calls us to come back and turn to Him. Love God wholeheartedly and at the same time, love others. Because if with envious hearts we offer sacrifices, God will not heed.

The gospel of Mark 12:28-34 reminds us of Jesus' commandment to love one another. Our lives will be filled with peace if each of us tries to be an instrument of love, a bearer of peace so as to present the kingdom of God in this world. Sometimes we often feel that our love for God is an exclusive love. We forget that after receiving the acts of love from God, we should share it by loving others as ourselves.

Nowadays, we often find people harming each other, slandering each other, destroying other's life.  In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus teaches us that our love for God must be balanced with our love for our fellow human beings.

Our community will become a community of love, a community of God's kingdom, as long as we live in peace, not creating any kind of problems that could cause division.  Jesus is expecting us to love, to bring peace and love in our daily lives. Our life will be happier than before if we truly follow His commandments. God bless us all.

 

Reflection on Mark 12:28-34 by Sr. Yanti Purnawati SFSC. 

(Listen to the Podcast here)