His Commandment

Scripture/Bible:   And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" 29 Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 and 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.' 31 The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 32 And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 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 question. Mark 12:28-34

Reflection:  Confidence to trust someone seems so easy to the simple but rarely to the proud. 

There must have been many scribes around the place and one of them turns to Jesus and asks: "Which commandment is the first of all?"

Christ Jesus is indeed the right person to ask the most difficult questions of life, about right teachings and the correct way of life?

Why do people ask questions and why should they ask the right person? Generally speaking, people ask in order that they may learn and in learning they find that they grow. Intellect, if fed with the right knowledge, grows in the right direction.

If one thought that one grows only or though either of these; eating, drinking, playing or working then one has missed the essential aspect of life. 

Learning, through the development of the mind, is the best among the growth processes we can think of.  And of all learning, the learning of character is primary; to love and respect.

If we do not learn from our many learning’s the source of our origin and learn not how to love him with all our mind, heart, soul and strength then what use is it? We will miss out on learning and putting into practice the greatest virtue called ‘humility’ which is essential for our survival, which includes the collective survival of the human race, even unto eternity.

The Scribe absorbed the truth which Jesus teaches, well and his mind was quite open to what Jesus had to say. But did he lack that one thing, viz. observance of what he knew to be the truth?

Prayer: “With my whole heart I seek thee; let me not wander from thy commandments! I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Ps 119:10-11

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