Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 4, 2026
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The full readings of the day from the Lectionary are available here.
When I read this exchange between Jesus and the scribe, I see myself. I’m an attorney and an arbitrator—i.e., a scribe. I always ask questions. Like this unnamed scribe, I would have pressed forward to ask Jesus this question. Not to trap him, but because this question boils everything down to this: what matters most?
When Jesus answered the scribe—calmly, without hesitation and qualification—the air around them would have gone noticeably still. Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The keyword in this response is all. Not most. Not primarily. All. Jesus is not asking us to prioritize God. He is asking us to love God with the complete totality of who and what we are. This commandment is life-changing.
I love my family. I love my children and grandchildren in a way that feels almost cellular, woven into the fabric of my personality. Our Lord’s explanation of this commandment forces me to face the uncomfortable truth that it commands me to love God more than my family. This commandment calls for a reorientation of my personal priorities. Jesus makes clear that love of neighbor is the inseparable second commandment—but before loving family and others, I must love God.
When we love God first, we stop loving our family as extensions of ourselves and begin loving them as people entrusted to us by God. We stop loving our friends because of what they give us and start loving them because they, too, bear the image of God. Our love for our family and friends does not diminish; it deepens and becomes less possessive, less anxious, less conditional.
Because the scribe engaged our Lord honestly, Jesus tells him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” Not yet inside, but close. The kingdom is near for those of us who genuinely listen, struggle, and try to discern God’s will. That’s a hopeful message.
Prayer
O God, whose love never fails, give us the insight and understanding of the scribe. May we hear your commands, and may they find a home in us and guide us to your truth. As we walk in your ways, we ask you to open the doors of the heavenly kingdom to us. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Petroc is a British saint from the early sixth century, who was a foundational figure in British monasticism. Petroc was born the son of a Welsh king. Petroc was sent to Ireland for his education, where he studied with the monastic communities there.
Once he had finished his studies, Petroc did not return to his princely life in Wales but went on pilgrimage to Rome.
Petroc's humility was legendary. A famous legend of Petroc tells the story of his eventful return to England from Rome. As he and his companions landed on the beach, torrents of rain began to fall. Petroc assured his companions that the rain would soon cease. The rain continued for several more days, without abating in ferocity. In penance, Petroc set off on another pilgrimage. According to legend, he traveled as far as India.
After his return, he shut himself up in a monastery and chose the life of a hermit. Monks clamored for Petroc to found monastic communities throughout England, and so Petroc began his career of founding monastic communities throughout Wales, Britain, and his work in the south of England earned him the patronage of the region.
Petroc's humility and kindness were manifest in his relations with animals as well as people. He is often shown with either a stag or a wolf, as various legends credit him with taming both animals. Petroc is also a patron saint of Devon and Cornwall.
St. Petroc, builder of the Church and builder of churches in Britain—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Petroc is in the public domain. Last accessed March 18, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
