“For our sakes he suffered all the agonies of body and mind, and did not shrink from any torment. He gave us a perfect example of patience and love.”
READ: MARK 12:28–37
One of the scribes who had listened to them debating and had observed how well Jesus had answered them, now came up 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 neighbor 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 neighbor 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.
Later, while teaching in the Temple, Jesus said, “How can the scribes maintain that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, moved by the Holy Spirit, said: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand and I will put your enemies under your feet.’ David himself calls him Lord, in what way then can he be his son?” And the great majority of the people heard this with delight.
YOUR THREE-STEP GUIDE TO DAILY MENTAL PRAYER
REFLECT
This is the last in a series of questions that the “experts” in Jerusalem posed in order to discredit Jesus. Their efforts failed. In the end, “no one dared to question him anymore.”
Sometimes we become so familiar with the figure of Christ as He appears in the Gospels that we forget the surpassing dignity and authority of His personality. If we were to meet Him on the street, we would immediately sense something about Him that set Him completely apart. If we were to engage in a conversation with Him in an airport waiting area or at a bus station, we would be impressed and attracted by the magnetism and quiet strength of His character. We should try to picture the marvelous figure of the Lord as He vanquishes Israel’s most intelligent and powerful leaders in this battle of wits. These elite intellectuals and trendsetters intimidated the average citizen into obsequious obedience and cowering respect, but they met their match in the Lord.
RESPOND
You make things so simple, Lord. All I have to do is love God with all my strength and love my neighbor as myself. How I long to want only that in life! That is what You created me for. You are infinitely lovable, the source of all good things. And my neighbors — all my neighbors, without exception — are created by You and loved by You. O Jesus, make my heart overflow with love.
REST
Teach me to pray, Lord. I know I have asked You this before, but I ask again: really teach me to pray, please. I long for Your wisdom to shed its light in my mind. I long for Your love to inflame my heart. I long for Your strength to steel my weak will. You have called me to be Your apostle — now please, make me what You want me to be.
RESOLVE
How can I carry this encounter with me into the day? (Write / Journal)
CLOSING PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Most Blessed and Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank You for Your love and Your grace in allowing me this time of prayer with You.
The world, the flesh, and the devil will all propose things I should focus on and run after today. I beg You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me instead to know and embrace Your will. Help me to see what You desire of me each moment of this day. Give me the wisdom, strength, and fortitude I need to avoid distractions, discern Your will, and focus on and carry out that which Wisdom reveals. Help me to work and live at a pace of peace and prayerfulness, always attentive to You, able to hear Your voice and to say no to anything that hinders my journey to You and a complete yes to every Holy prompting from You.
Help me to humbly and purposefully live, light, and lead others to the path of union with You and to tell everyone about this way of life. Amen.
About the Author
Fr. John Bartunek was ordained in 2003. He has taught moral theology at various ecclesiastical institutions at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and has authored many books, including the Gospel companion, The Better Part, and Inside the Passion, the only authorized behind-the-scenes look at the film, for which he provided on-set spiritual support. His online retreat guides are available in multiple formats at RCSpirituality.org. Fr. John currently resides in Atlanta, where he is serving as territorial vicar for the Legionaries of Christ.
