(James Tissot)
"Love the Lord your God . . . your neighbor as yourself."
Ex 22: 20 - 26
1 Thes 1: 5c - 10
Mt 22: 34-40
The Word for Sunday: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102917.cfm
Today’s
readings are very familiar to us for we’ve heard the stated command so
often: Love God and love your
neighbor. It’s at the foundation of our
Christian way of life. Yet, what if I’m not loved in return? What if I show kindness to another and all I
receive back is a cold shoulder, an insult, or an angry response? To extend love to another is often more
challenging than it sounds.
It’s
something like a scene from Charles Schulz’ Peanuts comic strip which in one
frame has Charlie Brown agonizing over a letter he’s writing. Meanwhile, his faithful dog Snoopy watches
with sympathy as Charlie says: “I just don’t know how to write a love
letter. What can you say to a girl that
shows you really like her?” In the next frame, Snoopy thinks: “Enclosed please
find a cookie.”
Well,
humor aside Schulz reminds us that love is more than an emotion. In its purest form it is shown through
action; through some response of the will which reminds me of St. Augustine’s
famous quote: “Love and do what you
will.” While Augustine never meant that love means I can now simply follow my
desires he reminded the newly baptized at this Easter Sermon from which that
quote is taken, that it was part of his
instruction on fraternal charity. In
other words, if we truly love God then we would never do something to offend
him and thereby would extend that charity to our brothers and sisters. Love
would be the constant measure and force of my life. In fact, that is clearly
the intent Jesus had when he answered his deceptive inquirers in the Gospel
passage this Sunday.
The
Pharisees, having failed in their attempt to trap Jesus after showing him the
Roman coin with the image of Caesar on it (last week’s Gospel: Mt 22: 15-21),
now turn on him again. What is more
fundamental to their way of life than obedience to the Sacred Law? They used it not as a personal guide but
rather as an opportunity for self-promotion.
The more than 600 laws covering diet, worship, dress and behavior had
been added to the fundamental law of the Sacred Commandments and they used them
for control over the people. To them,
holiness was established by obedience to law yet they themselves were far from
that. Judaism was a religion of laws.
So,
they ask Jesus, of all those laws which is the greatest? Jesus once again turns the question on them
and states the sacred Shema: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all
you heart … soul … and mind. This is the greatest and something they would have
agreed with but then he goes a step farther:
“The second is ‘like’ it: You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.” While his audience would
have been familiar with the sacred love of neighbor, Jesus states that in
essence the way to love God is to love your neighbor. It’s not about the law as
much as it is about charity in action.
Jesus’
answer is not the teaching of some ancient prophet or philosopher but from the mind
and heart of the Son of God. The Son of God who speaks captures for his
listeners and for us, the very heart of the law. This is how God sees it for
us. While his questioners had asked for only one commandment to be the greatest,
Jesus here adds a second as “like it” which makes his answer all the more
compelling.
To
say “I love God” is not exactly controversial.
Yet to love God in the way Jesus explains sets the stage for a
revolution in my life. Can any of us say
that we truly love God above all things:
politics, material possessions, wealth, clothes, my work, etec? Where do I spend my time and greatest
energy? For what will I feel a true loss
if it should no longer be there? What do
I lose sleep over?
Yet,
as the Son of God explains: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all
your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” In this statement ALL means exactly what it
implies – more than everything else! He wants
more than Snoopy’s sincere “Enclosed find a cookie,” he wants us
completely. And that my friend is the
measure of our lives. I for one, find
that both comforting and frightening.
How much of what I have and consider being of value do I let go of? Who
can possibly have that kind of pure unattached love?
Jesus
adds a second commandment to the first: “You
shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And
then adds: “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Every teaching of the ancient prophets, every
other form of law and expectation all can be narrowed down to these two which
are the heart of them both.
If
I can show fraternal charity to my neighbor which includes those who think,
look, act and believe differently than I do, then my love for God is
sincere. If I can show kindness and good
will towards someone I would naturally avoid for whatever reason, then I am
beginning to walk the way of love. If I can love all that God loves – his creation
and human life being at the highest point – then I have captured the heart of
the Law. Everything exists because God
has loved it into being. If I can love
as God loves, then I get it!
The
problem I notice in myself and in others, without being accusatory, is that
most of us judge our love for others based upon what they say about us, what
they do for us, what they think of us, if they agree with us, if they think
like me, if they look and speak like me, etc.
My love for you is based on ME and not on how God sees YOU. If God has loved me into being, he has also loved
you into being. My own opinions and
feelings aside, if I say I love God but do not love what he loves, then I don’t
love him truly. This kind of relationship between God, myself and others is at
the heart of my way of living.
This
is the way it is and the way Jesus, the Son of God, has proposed it for
us. This is what God desires and expects
of us. And it’s why I find it both
comforting and frightening.
The
Book of Exodus reminds us of the same about how we should treat the poor and marginalized,
those whom God loves in a particular way:
“You shall not molest or oppress
the alien . . . You shall not wrong the widow or orphan . . . If you lend money
to the poor, you shall not extort . . . if you take your neighbor’s cloak,
return it to him . . . “ In a very practical application of love for God
and neighbor we see it applied here.
Here
Jesus’ directives form the core meaning of our Christian lives. If we truly desire to be Jesus’ disciples,
then the celebration of the Eucharist, love poured out for all, is most
meaningful and conforming.
In
short, we all probably have a ways to go on this but thanks be to God for showing
us the way.
Peace.
Almighty ever-living God,
increase our faith, hope and charity,
and make us love what you command,
so that we may merit what you promise.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
(Collect of Mass)
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