Mass Reading: Sunday - 03rd November 2024

First reading
Deuteronomy 6:2-6
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart

    Moses said to the people: ‘If you fear the Lord your God all the days of your life and if you keep all his laws and commandments which I lay on you, you will have a long life, you and your son and your grandson. Listen then, Israel, keep and observe what will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord the God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow.

    ‘Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 17(18):2-4,47,51

I love you, Lord, my strength.

I love you, Lord, my strength,
    my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
My God is the rock where I take refuge;
    my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.
The Lord is worthy of all praise,
    when I call I am saved from my foes.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

Long life to the Lord, my rock!
    Praised be the God who saves me,
He has given great victories to his king
    and shown his love for his anointed.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

________

Second reading
Hebrews 7:23-28
Christ, because he remains for ever, can never lose his priesthood

    There used to be a great number of priests under the former covenant, because death put an end to each one of them; but this one, because he remains for ever, can never lose his priesthood. It follows, then, that his power to save is utterly certain, since he is living for ever to intercede for all who come to God through him.

    To suit us, the ideal high priest would have to be holy, innocent and uncontaminated, beyond the influence of sinners, and raised up above the heavens; one who would not need to offer sacrifices every day, as the other high priests do for their own sins and then for those of the people, because he has done this once and for all by offering himself. The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, which came after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or:
Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus said: ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, 
and we shall come to him.’

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Mark 12:28-34
'You are not far from the kingdom of God'

    One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must 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 must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 03rd November 2024

 

DT 6:2-6; PS 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51; HEB 7:23-28; MK 12:28B-34

Today’s Gospel reading brings us to the very essence of a stewardship way of life, as Jesus responds to a question posed to Him by one of the scribes: “Which is the first of all the commandments?” His answer is a beautiful and concise description of a Christian steward’s life: “The first [commandment] is this…. 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.”

Let’s consider these “greatest commandments” as they relate to three aspects of a Christian steward’s daily life — the use of our time, of our talents and of our material treasure.

The use of time in the context of stewardship refers primarily to our relationship with the Lord — in other words, our prayer life. Since time is a gift to me from God, I show my love for Him and my gratitude for this gift by giving Him the best portion of my time. My best time for prayer may be first thing in the morning before the noise and hectic pace of the day begin. It may be a few quiet moments at my desk during my lunch break. Or it could be in the evening with my spouse after the children have gone to bed.

Of course, it is vital to talk to God throughout the day, but if I really want to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, shouldn’t I make time for God “first” on my agenda each day? Not as an afterthought, but as a time I have intentionally chosen to spend only with Him.

The use of talents in the context of stewardship refers to the way I offer the abilities, skills, and interests the Lord has given me for the good of those around me. While our loving Father gives us these things for our own enjoyment, He also intends for us to use them to help others. Doing so is a practical way to “love my neighbor as myself.” It is also a way to love the Lord with all that I am and have since He has told us that whatever we do for others we are also doing for Him.

The use of material gifts in the context of stewardship likewise demonstrates both love of God and of neighbor. When I trustingly offer a sacrificial gift to God through the offertory collection, I am showing Him in a very tangible way that He comes before all else in my life. At the same time, my gift is also a gift to my neighbor and a way to show my love for others through needed material assistance for charitable works, religious formation of parish children and adults, and the many other ways that our parish family works together to worship and serve the Lord and our community.