Msgr. Joseph Prior
(See the readings for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time)
“This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15), Jesus proclaims as he inaugurates His public ministry. We see and hear about the Kingdom of God throughout Jesus’ ministry.
The Gospel passage for Sunday’s liturgy recalls an important teaching on the kingdom. Here, Jesus enters into a somewhat scholarly conversation with one of the scribes about the law, particularly what is the most important of all the laws. At the conclusion of this conversation, Jesus says to the scribe: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
The conversation begins with the scribe asking Jesus: “Whis is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus begins his reply by quoting the shema (literally, “hear” or “listen”– shema Israel – “hear O Israel”) from the Book of Deuteronomy. The first reading in the liturgy provides the context and quote. “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
The commandment is seen, as Jesus says, as the first of all the commandments. This is related to the Kingdom of God for God is the King. He is first. A citizen of the kingdom will love the King. The love is to be complete and sincere and strong. The outward manifestation of this love is to worship him, to keep his commandments and to walk in his way.
Jesus then adds the second greatest commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Here, Jesus is quoting Leviticus 19:18b. Loving oneself naturally deals with caring for oneself, protecting oneself and looking after one’s interests and responsibilities.
The love of neighbor takes these aspects of self-love and applies them to a neighbor. The context in Leviticus suggests that the “neighbor” is a member of the family or immediate community. Jesus, in the Lukan version of this passage, clarifies who the “neighbor” is by telling the story of the Good Samaritan. All peoples are to be loved, not just members of family or tribe.
The two commandments are joined as one by the simple command, “love.” They are united. In another version of this interchange Jesus will actually say “the second is like the first.” (Matthew 22:29) The scribe, when he quotes back to Jesus what he has said, affirms Jesus’ interpretation. He then adds that following these commandments of love are worth more than any sacrificial offering one can give.
It should be noted that the statement of the scribe is not saying that sacrificial offerings are not necessary or invaluable. He is putting them into a certain context, the context of love. Jesus affirms this reading when he tells the scribe that he is not far from the Kingdom of God.
Love is the essence of the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the embodiment of that love and, in a certain sense, the kingdom. So when he says that the scribe is not “far,” it could be taken as a double meaning. First, he is in the presence of Jesus so he is close to the Kingdom. Second, he has an understanding of the law that clearly distinguishes what is the most important.
There was one line of thinking in some Jewish circles that every law was on the same level of importance. Some would go to the extent of numbering the laws in the covenant: 613. The Kingdom of God is near when love rises above all the other commandments and becomes their foundation. The command to love is the bedrock of the covenant and any particular law that follows.
Loving God “with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” is acknowledging him as King. Loving one’s neighbor as oneself likewise is an acknowledgement of his kingship by keeping his command. The kingdom is built on love.
The love of God and neighbor is perfectly realized in Jesus’ passion, death, resurrection and ascension – the paschal mystery. His love of the Father is seen in his humble obedience – “even unto death, death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). He completely subjects himself to the Father in loving trust and confidence. He embraces his suffering and death with complete faith in the Father for deliverance. Likewise, in love for the flock entrusted to his care, he offers himself completely, perfectly, for their redemption and salvation. He sacrifices himself.
In this way Jesus fulfills or completes the sacrifices of old. His offering is the perfect sacrifice of praise. Our celebration of the liturgy is a participation in his love. We thank him for his love and in doing so acclaim him as our King. This is the one sacrifice that we now celebrate. This one sacrifice of love manifests our love of God and neighbor but also enables us to be the “living sacrifice of praise” in our day-to-day living.
We live as citizens of the Kingdom of God. In another part of the ministry, when the Pharisees ask Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come, he replied “no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17:21).
God’s reign is manifest when we love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and when we love our neighbor as ourselves.
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Msgr. Joseph Prior is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Penndel, and a former professor of Sacred Scripture and rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.
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