From the Gospel according to Mark 12:28b–34
One of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked him,
‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’
Jesus answered,
‘The most important is this:
“Hear, O Israel:
The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
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.’
And the scribe said to him,
‘You are right, Teacher.
You have truly said that he is one,
and there is no other besides him.
And to love him with all the heart,
with all the understanding,
with all the strength,
and to love one’s neighbour as oneself,
is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.’
And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely,
he said to him,
‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’
And after that
no one dared to ask him any more questions.
In the time of Jesus, Jewish observance was structured mainly around the Torah (the written Law), which traditionally consists of 613 commandments (mitzvot). Those responsible for transmitting it in writing and interpreting it were the scribes. The Lord does not come to abolish the Law, but to bring it to its fulfilment. In this Gospel He summarises the whole Torah in just two 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” and “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” And who is our nearest neighbour? Who is in our first square metre? Spouses, if we do not love our spouse, we cannot say that we love God.
Martha: Sorry, I’m late again, but when I’m at church I lose all sense of time. I feel such peace, I feel the Lord’s love so deeply that I could stay there all day.
Felix: Well, the children are already in bed, Martha. I prepared their dinner and they went to sleep asking about you. That’s the third time this week…
Martha: It’s just that God has made me feel His love, and now all I want is to respond to Him.
Felix: And do you think this is the way to do it? By leaving me alone with the children?
Martha: Look, Felix, think about all the times you came home late from work and we were here waiting for you.
Felix: But I changed that after we did the Marital Love Project retreat. Now you are my priority. Remember they taught us that we must incarnate our love; we are not called to a spiritualised love. I only ask you to take it to prayer, and if you agree, tomorrow evening when the children are asleep we can talk about it.
(The next day, Felix arrives home with the children after school.)
Martha: Where are my children? I was so eager to give you a big hug. Go and get changed while I speak with Dad for a moment. My dear Felix, I humbly ask your forgiveness. Today the Lord has shown me the wrong way in which I was responding to His love. Thank you so much for showing me the truth with such kindness and patience. I went to confession, and I come ready for you, first of all, and our children to be my priority. It is in you that I must love God. Praised be God forever!
Mother
How beautiful Marriage is as God intended it! Thank you for the precious Marital Love Project, which is bringing light and hope to so many families. We ask you to help us persevere so that we may bring it to the whole world. Thank you, dear Mother!