Sh'ma Yisrael

Adonai Elohaynu
Adonai Echad.

In today's Gospel (Mk. 12:28-34), our Lord pronounces the great Shema - that glorious statement of faith in the One God so precious to every Jew and Christian.

Hear, O Israel,

the Lord is our God,

the Lord is One.

And you shall love the Lord your God

with all your heart

and with all your soul

and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

But these are more than just magnificent words. Especially when heard right after today's first reading (Hosea 14:2-10), there is a very clear message:

God is God - there is no other:
no other source of assurance,
no other object of worship.

In the long run, money and everything else on this earth will fail us, but God can make us flourish forever.

Let him who is wise understand these things;
let him who is prudent know them.

Straight are the paths of the LORD,
in them the just walk,
but sinners stumble in them.

Listen for the Lord and walk in his ways