The Greatest Commandment of All 

Jesus gives an enduring teaching on love. A scholar of the law representing the Pharisees wants him to state which is the greatest commandment. We know that God gave the Ten Commandments and all of them are equal having the same weight and value. The intention was for him to force Jesus to make a preference for one in opposition to the rest so they could find fault with Him.

In response to the question, Jesus silences this scholar of the law by giving the perfect answer. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

As we enter into another week, let us be mindful of the fact that Jesus’ instruction about the greatest commandment has two branches; the love for God with everything (all of your heart, soul and mind) and the love for our neighbor. Jesus uses the word all. If we only do one of the two branches and leave the other, the commandment is incomplete. Jesus is asking us to spread the love; God wants us to discover Him in our neighbors, in the people around us, in our family, in co-workers, in our parish, the felon, the addicted, at the sporting game, with the person who cuts you off on the road, with our political opponent, in all of humanity. Jesus challenges us because we cannot love God and hate our neighbor.