And Jesus said to him: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind’ (Deut. 6:5).
Jesus answers by quoting the words of Deuteronomy 6:5, which the Jews repeated every day in their prayers. He affirms that love toward God is the very essence of the Law and the foundation of all the commandments. Love must be complete—not only in feelings, but also in will, mind, and one’s whole being. “With your heart” means with one’s entire spiritual inner self, “with your soul” with the full strength and readiness of life, and “with your mind” with awareness and the knowledge of truth. This word reveals that faith is not only knowledge or obedience, but a living relationship founded on love. To love God means to live so that every thought, desire, and deed has His favor.