Daily Mass Readings – Sunday, 31 October 2027

2 That thou mayst fear the Lord thy God, and keep all his commandments and precepts, which I command thee, and thy sons, and thy grandsons, all the days of thy life, that thy days may be prolonged.

3 Hear, O Israel, and observe to do the things which the Lord hath commanded thee, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayst be greatly multiplied, as the Lord the God of thy fathers hath promised thee a land flowing with milk and honey.

4 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.

5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength.

6 And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart:

R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength.

2 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength:

3ab The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer.

R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

3cd My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust. My protector and the horn of my salvation, and my support.

4 Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies.

R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

47 The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, and let the God of my salvation be exalted:

51 Giving great deliverance to his king, and shewing mercy to David his anointed: and to his seed for ever.

R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

23 And the others indeed were made many priests, because by reason of death they were not suffered to continue:

24 But this, for that he continueth for ever, hath an everlasting priesthood,

25 Whereby he is able also to save for ever them that come to God by him; always living to make intercession for us.

26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

27 Who needeth not daily (as the other priests) to offer sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, in offering himself.

28 For the law maketh men priests, who have infirmity: but the word of the oath, which was since the law, the Son who is perfected for evermore.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

23 Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my father will love him and we will come to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

28 And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all.

29 And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God.

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

32 And the scribe said to him: Well, Master, thou hast said in truth, that there is one God, and there is no other besides him.

33 And that he should be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole understanding, and with the whole soul, and with the whole strength; and to love one’s neighbour as one’s self, is a greater thing than all holocausts and sacrifices.

34 And Jesus seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him: Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

God’s command is simple enough to remember and deep enough to shape an entire life: love the Lord with the whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbour as ourselves. This love is not reduced to words or occasional religious acts. It is meant to be held in the heart, kept in daily life, and handed on through the generations. The scribe understands that love is greater than every sacrifice when it becomes the true offering of the person.

Yet Scripture also shows that this wholehearted love does not depend on our strength alone. The Lord is our refuge and deliverer, and Christ remains forever as the priest who offered himself once for all and now lives to intercede for us. His living presence makes it possible to return to God when our love has grown narrow or divided. To keep Christ’s word is to make room for him and the Father to dwell with us. Each day, love can become concrete: patience with another person, fidelity to God’s word, mercy instead of resentment, and a heart that turns again toward the Lord as its strength.

Lord our God, you alone are God, and you deserve my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Through Jesus Christ, our eternal Priest, draw me close and sustain me when my love is weak or divided. Write your word within me so that obedience may become a response of love rather than a burden. Teach me to recognize your presence in the people around me, especially when patience, forgiveness, or generous attention is required. Let Christ’s intercession protect me from discouragement, and make my life a faithful offering of love to you and to my neighbour. Amen.