Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Mark 12: 28B-34
Making the Word Become Flesh in Our Lives

In today’s Gospel, a scribe asks Jesus which commandment is the greatest. Jesus responds by citing the Shema from Deuteronomy: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength,” and adds, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” This teaching forms the heart of Christian life.

Pope Francis highlights how the scribe repeats Jesus’ words, showing that God’s Word is not just information but a message to be internalised and lived. The pope explains that we must ruminate on the Word — reflecting on it deeply so it becomes part of us. This process transforms our hearts and shapes our actions.

The pope says God seeks not experts in Scripture, but hearts that are open to transformation. He encourages us to carry the Gospel with us, reading and rereading it so it resonates in our lives. When we engage with the Word in this way, Jesus becomes intimate with us, and our lives bear fruit.

Loving God and neighbour must not be a theoretical idea but the guiding principle of our daily choices. Are we loving God with all we are? Are we showing kindness and compassion to those around us?

Like Mary, who welcomed the Word into her life, we are called to make God’s love visible through our actions. By allowing the Gospel to take root in our hearts, we become living translations of God’s love, bringing His presence into the world.

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Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025