Pride In Worship

Pride In Worship

Mk 12:28-34 12:28 Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 12:31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. 12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

Notice especially v33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. We can go to Church every day, burn incense, tithe, pray constantly, but all is for nought if we do not love God with all our heart and do not love our neighbors. How important it is for us to see Christ's image in our fellow man. If we have no charity for our neighbors, how can we say we love God? This is, of course, one of the most difficult sins to overcome, for oftentimes, our neighbors are not charitible to us. So we must continually ask the Great Helper, the Holy Spirit, to assist us in loving our neighbor.