31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel – Mark12:28-34

Almost There - Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEwTXMLy-1E  

Church of Holy Sepulchre

Finally!  Today’s Gospel tells the story of a Scribe asking Jesus an honest question and actually agreeing with His answer! 

The scribe asks Jesus what is the greatest commandment.  You think this must be a trick question.  There are actually 613 laws in the Torah.  How to choose!  And Jesus responds not with 1 but 2 commandments – love God and love your neighbor!  Jesus’ answer perfectly sums it all up.  Why obey all those other precepts?  Love, love is the answer.  I obey the law because I love the law-giver – God!  Because I want the relationship to be strong and to flourish!

What’s remarkable is the scribe’s response.  “Well said, teacher.  You are right.”  He agrees with Jesus and he compliments Him for his answer.  Imagine that!  He even expands his compliment by saying that love of God and neighbor is more important than any burnt offerings and sacrifices.  Think about that!  More important than everything that happens in the Temple!

It’s that love of a parent for a child, the willingness to get up in the middle of the night to give them a glass of water even though you were sleeping soundly.  It’s a love that goes out of its way to comfort them when they are sick or skinned their knee.  It’s a love that joyfully shares in their laughter even when you have a long list of jobs to do around the house. 

It is a love that is active, self-less and expansive.  It is love that goes way beyond words and is expressed in how I live my life, how I treat others.  It is a love where I lose my self, my selfishness and ego because I am so devoted, so focused on the good of another.  That means love is more than just a feeling, more than just another emotion.  Love is a way of life!  It is taking the infinite love we have received from God and sharing it with others.  It is a love that is expressed not merely in words but with our mind, our heart, our soul, our entire being.  Love really is the answer!

Jesus then actually returns the compliment.  You are not far from the Kingdom of God!  Wow!  The Kingdom!  Heaven!  You are almost there!  Imagine the scribe’s reaction!

Were you ever one of ‘those’ kids?  You know, the kids sitting in the back of their parents car on their way to vacation.  Maybe it was Disney World or Wisconsin Dells.  Wherever you were headed, there came a point (or a number of points) where you asked: “Are we there yet?”  And if you were really lucky, you heard those magic words.  Almost!  Almost There!  What a great feeling that was!  What joy and anticipation!  What wonders to look forward to!

The YouTube link above will take you to a beautiful song “Almost There.”  It speaks of Mary’s journey to Bethlehem but it is also a challenge to us all – are we almost there?

That is the question for us today.  How close are we to the Kingdom?  Do we love God?  Do we love our neighbor?  What is holding us back?  What do we still need to draw closer to the Kingdom? Are we almost there?

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