In Sunday’s Lectionary, Jesus begins by quoting Deuteronomy 6…
“12:29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
12:30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
12:31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”” (Mark 12)
This sounds vague enough to have loopholes and variations in interpretation. But much as it does indeed need interpreting, it turns out to be really challenging. Can we really in all circumstances love God with so much passion and energy? Can we really in all circumstances want everything for our fellow human being that we would want for ourselves?