Friday March 13th: Living in right relationships

Lent invites us to measure our lives by love.

Mark 12: 28 – 34

In today’s gospel a scribe questions Jesus: Which is the first commandment? Jesus answers simply: love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself.

Lent brings us back to this foundation. Faith is not first about rules or rituals, but about relationships. Everything in Christian life flows from love. The scribe recognises the truth of Jesus’ words and agrees that genuine love is more pleasing to God than sacrifices. Jesus tells him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

Lent invites us to measure our lives by love. We fast, pray, and give alms not to impress God, but to grow in love. Prayer deepens our love for God; fasting frees our hearts from selfishness; charity expresses love for our neighbour.

If our Lenten practices do not make us kinder, more patient, and more compassionate, then they miss the point. May this holy season draw us closer to God and to one another, so that love becomes the true centre of our lives.