Gospel – Mark 12:28-34
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! 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 neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
2055 When someone asks him, “Which commandment in the Law is the greatest?” Jesus replies: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets.” The Decalogue must be interpreted in light of this twofold yet single commandment of love, the fullness of the Law
2083 Jesus summed up man’s duties toward God in this saying: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This immediately echoes the solemn call: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD.”
God has loved us first. The love of the One God is recalled in the first of the “ten words.” The commandments then make explicit the response of love that man is called to give to his God.
2196 In response to the question about the first of the commandments, Jesus says: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; 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.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
From “The Ark of the New Covenant” Testimony of Catalina Rivas (ARK-75:2-4)
2) You will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your strength, this is the first and principal Commandment of the Divine Law. And I am, My daughter, your Lord and God and for Me you have been created and redeemed. Will you find the price of loving Me difficult?
3) What thing is easier than to love? Love is the life of the heart and, to love I created yours, but to love Me above all things.
4) Can there be found on earth or in Heaven, a sweeter object of love than My heart? You call Me your God, your Father, your Beloved, but if I am your God, what have you done of My good name? If I am your Father, where is your love? If I am your Beloved, where is your affection, your tenderness?
From “From Sinai to Calvary” Testimony of Catalina Rivas (Part 1:23-24)
23) He knows that from this profound pain a Church will be born. That is the great and tasty fruit, the happy consequence of the combination of water and blood that soon would flow from His open Side – fruit of the Love of He Who is leaving two commandments which sum up the ten given by His Father to Moses on another mountain, Mount Sinai.
24) If you keep these two commandments, a whole river of Mercy will be poured out on you and you will be saved. There is only one condition for obtaining that Mercy: “TO LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL THINGS AND TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”.
Each week we will be presenting a portion of the following Sunday’s readings, and linking it to relevant parts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and messages from the Testimony of Catalina. Pay special attention to the italicized underlined sections. This Sunday it is asked, What kind of soil will you be for the word of God? We hope this is inspiring and educational. Any comments you have are certainly welcomed.
Tim Francis prepared this educational program to help you increase your faith and love for the Holy Trinity and our Blessed Mother. His website is http://YouShallBelieve.com
I have known Tim for many years and recommend his work highly. He is a strong advocate for the “The Real Body and Blood Of Jesus” and the numerous miracles that occur on a daily basis. Both of us are greatly 3inspired by the amazing writings of Catalina Rivas. Catalina is one of the few individuals in history who personally experienced the “Stigmata Of Jesus Christ.”