You Are Not Far!

Thursday, June 4, 2026

2 Tim 2: 8-15; Mk 12: 28-34

Today’s Gospel highlights Jesus’ teaching on love of God and love of neighbor. 

We can understand Jesus’ teaching in three steps. 

The Primacy of God: The first commandment that establishes the primacy of God comes from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. God is one, and there is no other. The verses mean that our worship of God requires a total response – heart, soul, and strength. Here, we are called to perceive that our faithfulness to God must be expressed more by our ‘being’ than ‘doing.’ Ultimately, it is our life lived in holy selflessness that should give praise to the one true God. 

The Indivisibility: It is interesting to note that without the scribe asking for the second commandment, Jesus adds, saying, ‘The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Jesus fuses the two to show that love of neighbor is the result of a genuine love for God. We cannot love God without loving those created in His image and likeness. The Apostle John wrote, ‘Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar’ (1 Jn 4:20).

The Understanding: The scribe reveals a remarkable understanding of Scripture as he resonates with Jesus. Jesus appreciates his ability to internalize the Scriptural teaching. By telling the scribe, ‘You are not far from the Kingdom of God,’ Jesus lets us realize that the scribe is a person who constantly examines his life to align with God’s will. True religion transcends rituals so that it is more internal, ethical, and relational. 

Let us pray that we may live out the Scriptural truth to become the person that God wants.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar