SAINT NORBERT, BISHOP (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

You are not far from the Kingdom of God.

Jesus offered high praise to this scribe when he told him that he was “not far from the Kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34). That’s because the scribe’s words to Jesus revealed that he understood the significance of what Jesus had been teaching: that love is at the heart of the Law. To love God and neighbor, he said, “is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (12:33).

How much hope must have flooded this man’s heart when he heard Jesus commend him! And who could blame him? We all would love to hear Jesus say these same words to us! That’s because when we love both God and neighbor, we are not only getting closer to God’s kingdom, we are actually helping to usher it in. And we all want to be part of that great work!

As followers of Christ, then, love of God and neighbor must be the motivation behind all our actions. If not, we could easily fall into a more functional mode of discipleship, where we serve others or obey the Lord only out of duty or obligation. Without love in our hearts, we may even begin to resent how hard it can be to follow Jesus. And we certainly won’t be getting much closer to God’s kingdom!

That’s why it’s helpful to do a “heart check” every now and then and ask if love is still the foundation for our lives. We might find that perhaps we aren’t so eager to serve as we once were. Or maybe we find excuses not to pray. We might discover times when we were thinking of our own needs before the needs of others. Or maybe we have become too easily annoyed with other people or more critical of them.

But don’t despair if you discover that your love has grown lukewarm. The Holy Spirit is only too willing to renew your heart if you ask him. God is love, and you can trust him to fill you with that love—a pure, unselfish love that longs to give itself away—even if you have to keep asking for it every day! That’s how the kingdom of God breaks forth. May it begin with each of us!

“Come, Holy Spirit, and fill me once more with love for you and my neighbor.”

2 Timothy 2:8-15
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14
Mark 12:28-34