"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience," (Col 3:12)

Mk 12: 28-34

One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well he had answered them, asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?”

Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, 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.”

The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’

And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

And when Jesus saw that [he] answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

The strange thing is that the scribe approaches Jesus and asks Him what is most important. Not knowing what is most important, not discerning what is most important, is not really knowing the meaning of life. If you don't know what is most important in life, you don't really know where to go, you don't know who to follow, you don't know who to lean on, you don't know who to listen to. Why did this scholar ask Jesus about this? After all, he knew perfectly well what was most important in life. He simply needed confirmation, or maybe a reminder, from God himself, who confirmed that love is the most important thing. And we need to constantly remind ourselves about love so that our relationship with God and other people does not cool down, so that it does not become filthy with the dust of life, selfishness and the pursuit of what is material. When I tell God that I love Him, when I tell it to someone with whom I share my life, first of all I realize that this person is, that he/she is part of my life. By saying that I love, I evoke someone's true presence, I bring life to someone's heart, because love stimulates the heart, allows the heart to arise, infuses hope into it. By telling God that I love Him, I stimulate His heart, prolong the beating of His heart, which wants to beat for me every day. Telling someone that I love him/her revives his/her heart and also gives hope and joy. That is why we need to constantly remind ourselves about love, ask God and other people about it, so that life grows in us, because love is life. Is it so much to say to God: I love you, God? Is it too much to say to someone: I love you? It's so much to be able to say these words, even though they seem so simple. They may be ordinary to us, but as Jesus says today in the Gospel, these are the most important words. If you do not say these words to God and other people, you are condemning your heart to a slow death, because what is life without love? An emptiness leading to death. Father Marcin Cwierz, OSPPE

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"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience," (Col 3:12)