March 13, 2026 // Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Mark 12:28-34
Reflect on the Word //
“Which commandment is the most important?” The question came from the middle of the room during our lesson preparing for First Reconciliation. It was printed in their workbooks, spoken in Scripture, and alive in the heart of every child who wants to know what God really asks of us. I smiled, knowing that this was one of those teacher moments that truly matter, and I needed His grace to help me explain it well.
We opened our Bibles and read together what Jesus said: “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” (Mark 12:30-31). My students and I discussed how loving God and loving others go hand in hand. When we love God first, our hearts learn how to love everyone else.
The children started sharing ideas. One said, “I love God when I am praying at Mass.” Another said, “I try my best to be kind to my brothers and sisters, most of the time.” Their answers were simple and honest. They understood the heart of it. That is the beauty of this passage. Even a child can understand the importance of loving God and neighbor, yet it gives every adult something to keep growing into.
We are each invited throughout the day to love both God and our neighbors. How will I show my love for God today, and where is He asking me to love more generously? In quiet prayer, we can place our ordinary moments before Him and ask for the grace to love more fully.
We are all lifelong learners in this journey of faith. Whether we are in a classroom, at work, or at home, the call is the same: to love God fully and to love others generously. When Jesus told the scribe, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34), He was speaking to us too. Every time we choose love, we move even closer to His glorious Kingdom.
Relate to the Lord // Pray with this prompt: How will I show my love for God today, and where is He asking me to love more generously?
Rose Coleman is an elementary school teacher with a heart for pilgrimage. She traveled the globe on a ship during college and spent some years in the convent as a religious sister. She was a contributing author to All She Had, Blessed Conversations: Rooted, and our children’s devotional prayer book called Rise Up. Find out more about her here.
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