Friday March 13, 2026

Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’

When I was in seminary I was taught that the Jews had 613 laws and each of them was given the same weight. I would imagine people sinned if they stepped out of bed the wrong way. I think we have all been there when religion was about rules, laws and rituals. And politics… let’s not forget that. Church politics is a whole nother animal.

Anyway which is the greatest commandment? Please boil it down Lord, we are burdened by the 613. If we had to keep the commandments which one is supreme? The scribes knew the answer to this. They said it in prayer every day. Our Lord replies “Love God with everything that you are and love your neighbor. The issue was these guys had difficult, nosy neighbors. The kind you pray you never meet in the grocery store.

My novice master often said if we bowl before the blessed sacrament, then we should also bowl to each other. He introduced namaste and its full meaning in our novitiate. I pray this Lenten season is helping you open your eyes to the divine present in others.

By the way, there is another commandment which you have probably missed. “Remember O Israel, there is but One God and you are not it!”

We all need to hear this one when our heads get too big.