Jesus' response to the scribe's question as which is the first of all commandments by quoting - Listen to the One Lord, you must love God and love your neighbour, sums up all the hundreds of rules. Love of God and love of neighbour as oneself is indivisible. Without one there is not the other. It is a simple adage. If we carry this commandment in our mind and heart throughout the day we will not stray from the way of the Lord. It is justifiable that when people are open to serve God in mind and heart, they flourish. It is a simple commandment. But we are enticed to love according to the waywardness of the world. Love often involves sacrifices. Lent calls us back to the basics, as the Prophet Hosea beckons, " Come back to the Lord your God, your iniquity was the cause of your downfall. (v2)" Idolatry and reliance on foreign might could only bring misery.

Lent compels us to admit that we have made a mess of things by giving numerous excuses. So often we are in trouble because we have not loved properly, honestly and justly. We need not to bewail our past mistakes but just return to God's ways. If we want to follow Christ, we are invited to love without reservation to God and humanity.