The scribe’s question in our gospel from St. Mark about the greatest commandment was not posed “to test” Jesus as is done in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels. The question is, in fact, a familiar one from Jewish tradition: “Is there a way of summarizing the commandments?” Jesus gave a traditional answer. The first part is from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (Shemaʿ ), but combined with another part from Leviticus 19:18.
What is interesting is that only Mark quotes v.4 from the traditional Shema: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God: the Lord is one.” The traditional response is the imperative command: “Hear.” It is a present tense imperative, which implies continuous or repeated action: “Keep on listening!” “Continue to hear!” This command to listen is heard frequently in Mark, e.g., in the parable of the sower (4:3) and at the Transfiguration: “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him” (9:7). Perhaps the “first command of all” is: “Listen!”
What follows this initial command are the consequences of truly listening and hearing as indicated by the shift to a future tense: “You shall love…”; a thing that cannot be commanded and still remain true.
Brian Stoffergen offers an insight on love and its command. He writes: “Could you imagine a young couple on their first date? The woman thinks to herself, ‘I really like this guy. He’s so handsome. He’s so charming. I wouldn’t mind spending the rest of my life with him. What can I do to get him to love me?’ Then you hear the woman say in a stern voice: ‘I command you to love me. You will marry me. We will live happily ever after.’ Would a marriage like that work? Can such love be commanded?”
Of course, one question to ask is whether that is the kind of love Jesus is talking about?
The underlying word for the verb “to love” is agano. It implies action rather than emotion. No command can change one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength. Rules might make us act more lovingly towards other people but not “with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” But then again there is one other time agano is used in Mark’s gospel.
In the story of the rich young man who comes to Jesus asking him what he must do to inherit the kingdom of God (10:17-22), we read: “Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” Jesus’ love for the man was evident in the action recommended. Jesus’ response was not a Hallmark card moment, but a response for the good of the other. Jesus commands us to love our enemies (in Matthew 5:44). Our response might well be all action accompanied by feelings not commonly described as “love.” So, maybe there is a way that love can be commanded.
In any case, I think there is perhaps a prelude to the greatest commandments: Listen! In the case of the Word of God – first listen, then do it. One day your heart, soul, mind and strength will catch up.
Image credit: If you want to be perfect (Christ and the rich young man), A.N. Mironov 2010, Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
As part of our morning prayer as a community of Friars, we read the names aloud for the friars who passed away on the given day. This weekend marks the 12th anniversary of the passing of one of the true characters and legends of our Franciscan province. Brother Juniper Capece was a friar for 60 years, was our provincial tailor, and was the keeper of many of the stories of the friars – you know, the ones that never get written down, but bring everyone to tears because we are laughing so hard. 
friarmusings 