St Charles Lwanga and companion martyrs | Thursday 3 June 2021

Today is Thursday the 3 June, the Memorial of St Charles Lwanga and companion martyrs, in the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time.  

Paul Zach sings ‘The Greatest Commandment’.  

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 12: 28-34

One of the scribes came near and asked Jesus, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 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.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbour as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question.    

‘To love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.’  Knowing that you’re called to love God with such depth and intensity, what shape do you think that love will take in your case?  What form will it acquire as you embrace it, within the context of your own life?  What changes may you need to make to live out that love at its best?  

‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ Do you sometimes find it too challenging to try to live a life of Christian love?  Do you prefer to just work harder or perhaps go without things that you want, as a substitute for facing the truth that the Gospel is asking you to take on a different attitude to the people around you?  

As you listen to the passage again, listen for that phrase, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength”.  Does it sound like a jumble of words and pious aspirations?  Or is this something within your grasp?   

Talk to the Lord about your feelings, your reactions to this passage.  What is happening inside you, what is shifting, what is drawing or challenging you?  

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.