THIRD WEEK OF LENT ....... FRIDAY 1.04.11
MARK 12:28-34......... THE LORD OUR GOD IS THE ONE LORD, AND YOU MUST LOVE HIM.
The Scribe asked Jesus which is the first of all the commandments. But Jesus lists all the three commandments in the order of their importance.
First Commandment : Love the One God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Second Commandment: Love your neighbor with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Third Commandment: Love your self with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
There is also a sequence in 'how' to love. We are expected to love first and foremost with all our hearts (being), then naturally we will be loving with all our soul (emotions), mind (mental) and strength (resources).
The basic measure is how much we love our selves the right way, ( Not self-focussed, self-centered or self-indulgent love) accepting humbly all our strengths and weakness' and circumstances of life and also with proper self-esteem. Imperfect as we are , we naturally love ourselves and expect good things to happen to us, and in the same manner we have to love and accept our neighbors be they our friends or enemies.And God loves each one of us impartially and since we love God above all with all of our hearts we also imitate him in loving others. We like to imitate those whom we love and become like the one whom we love. Therefore love self, then love others more than self and finally love God foremost. All are interrelated and relational and are in fine balance, just as the love between the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. And where there is love there is joy and harmony.
This counts more than our offerings and sacrifices which again is an expression of love.
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