There are many ways of being unfaithful to God. For Hosea relying on only our own efforts and shutting God out is the biggest type of infidelity. Some people rely on power, manipulation, or violence to accomplish their goals. The second way that we can be unfaithful is to play games with God: people try to bribe God with sacrifices or piety and forget the demands of justice and compassion. We tend to think that idolatry is merely worshipping other gods, but by exalting ourselves, we make ourselves into gods. But God begs Israel to come home, and that is where God is always waiting for us. God should be the center of our lives rather than an afterthought, our pilot rather than our co-pilot.

What is most pleasing to God? How should we live? What is right and wrong? To find an answer to these mysteries, the scribe in the story asks a sincere question: what is the greatest commandment? Jesus replies not with some new revelation but from the Jewish tradition in Deuteronomy and Leviticus. Wholehearted love of God and neighbour is the essence of the Jewish faith and all good religion. If we do this we please God, but if we refuse, nothing else will take its place. This is true worship and piety, and it should be the guiding light of our everyday life. If we were asked to summarize our religion in one sentence, the great commandment would be a perfect response.