The first commandment. Homily for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.

Today’s gospel is set in Jerusalem on the Tuesday of what we now call Holy Week. Jesus entered the holy city on the day that we now call Palm or Passion Sunday. On the following day he entered the Temple precinct and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. Word of what he had done quickly reaches the Temple authorities, and on the following day, Tuesday, they challenge him: By what authority is he acting? After Jesus has silenced the chief priests and the scribes, the Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees attempt to catch him out in what he said. Once they, too, had been silenced, a scribe asks Jesus a question: “Which is the first of all the commandments? The text of this homily can be dowloaded as a PDF file at sundayhomilies.au