Caesar’s Hors d’oeuvres--Three Bible's Reflections

Hors d'oeuvres # 007

Deuteronomy (6:1-9)

The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might

Moses said:

Now this is the commandment--the statutes and the ordinances—that the LORD your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, so that you and your children and your children's children, may fear the LORD your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long.

Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.

Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Psalm 119:1-8

1. Happy are they whose way is blameless, *

who walk in the law of the LORD!

2. Happy are they who observe his decrees *

and seek him with all their hearts!

3. Who never do any wrong, *

but always walk in his ways.

4. You laid down your commandments, *

that we should fully keep them.

5. Oh, that my ways were made so direct *

that I might keep your statutes!

6. Then I should not be put to shame, *

when I regard all your commandments.

7. I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, *

when I have learned your righteous judgments.

8. I will keep your statutes; *

do not utterly forsake me.

Mark (12:28-34)

You shall love your neighbor as yourself

One of the scribes came near and heard the Saducees disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?”

Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’

The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.