LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
Introduction
The beautiful first reading of today is the Shema Israel, “Hear, O Israel,” named after the opening words. It is a text recited three times a day, or at least once in the morning, by every pious Jew, even up to this day. It tells how God is a liberating God, who has gratuitously done much for his people. What else should the people, the object of God’s love, do than respond with their love and express this by faithfulness, loyalty, and obedience to his commandments? Though affection is not yet much a part of it, at least we cannot say that the Old Testament is an age of only law and fear.
Opening Prayer
Lord, you alone are our God.
Through your Son, Jesus Christ,
you have led us out of the slavery and darkness of sin
to give us a share in your own life and love.
Thank you Lord God, for your generosity.
Help us to share ourselves freely
without demanding any return
and inspire all we do with the love
that you have shown us
in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
First Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-13
Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. Take to heart these words which I command you today. Keep repeating them to your children. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them on your arm as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. Fidelity in Prosperity. When the LORD, your God, brings you into the land which he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he would give you, a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, with houses full of goods of all sorts that you did not garner, with cisterns that you did not dig, with vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant; and when, therefore, you eat and are satisfied, be careful not to forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that house of slavery. The LORD, your God, shall you fear; him shall you serve, and by his name shall you swear.
Responsorial Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 47 and 51
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
He said:
I love you, LORD, my strength,
LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold. R.
LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim!
I have been delivered from my enemies. R.
The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock!
Exalted be God, my saviour!
You have given great victories to your king,
and shown mercy to his anointed,
to David and his posterity forever. R.
Alleluia: cf. 2 Timothy 1:10
Alleluia, alleluia
Our saviour Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the gospel
Alleluia, alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 17:14-20
When they came to the crowd a man approached, knelt down before him, and said, “Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him here to me.” Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him, and from that hour the boy was cured. Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Commentary
The Deuteronomy reading today contains the primary profession of faith for the Jewish people. Known as the great Shema (“Hear, O Israel”), it emphasizes primarily the exclusive hegemony of Yahweh over the Hebrew people; to him alone belongs total adherence in love and worship. Of equal importance is the observance of his commandments and statutes. This God, the Lord of heaven and earth and all that they contain, has chosen this people as his own for his own inscrutable reasons. This belief, Israel is to hold at the center of its life in a spirit of deepest gratitude.
When questioned as to the first and greatest commandment, Jesus cites the Shema, adding to it a single verse from Leviticus that speaks of the love of neighbour as well. Therefore, in the Christian tradition as well, this remains the cornerstone precept; it summarizes the entire Christian ethic.
In every instance, regardless of what the precept may be, observance points to love; it is the only response worthy of the creator-redeemer God.
Jesus’ annoyance in today’s Gospel is not with the father of the possessed boy but rather with the disciples for their lack of faith. Our failures in life usually point in the same direction. We are afraid to launch out into uncharted waters because we are afraid. We want to hoard food in our barns because of the possible dangers of tomorrow. If we truly believe as the great Shema enjoins, the Lord will not disappoint.
Intercessions
– That with all people who deeply and sincerely believe in God, we may love him with all our heart and mind, we pray:
– That parents may pass on to their children their faith in God, we pray:
– That we may give thanks to God for everything he has given us for free, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
we have taken this bread and wine
from the wheat and the grapes,
that you let grow and ripen in our fields.
You toiled with us to let them become
our daily food and our drink of joy.
Give us now Jesus, your Son,
and let him be the food that sustains us
and the drink of your kingdom,
as he leads us to you,
our God, for ever and ever. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
God our Father, through Jesus your Son,
you have spoken to us, your people,
and we have listened to him.
We have enjoyed him as our food and drink.
We are grateful to you and we love you
for all you have given us
and even more so for what you are:
our loving and living God.
Accept our thanks and the assurance,
that we want to serve you faithfully
together with your loyal servant,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
“Listen, Israel;” listen, also Christians. We also take as our profession of faith that the Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And we want to love him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our might. May God stay with you and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!