So what is the greatest commandment? “Loving God with your whole being and your neighbor as yourself,” which Jesus agrees is worth more than all burnt offerings and all sacrifices put together and that there is no commandment greater than this!
A very powerful statement to be sure, but it seems we still haven’t got it! We still put all kinds of rules and regulations and pious practices ahead of this one, clearly stated, commandment. Even though Jesus was so very clear about it, it seems that we still insist on putting all these other rules and regulations ahead of this one straight forward commandment.
Imagine if we were to order our lives around this singular commandment -- imagine how the world could be. Imagine if we focused on truly loving God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves, if that was the singular organizing principle of our lives! Imagine if it was the singular organizing principle of our church by which every other single rule, practice or regulation was ruthlessly judged. Imagine if all of our public and social policies were organized by this singular principle!
Our whole world view would change…we would see migrants and immigrants and refugees not as strangers and threats, but as sisters and brothers. We would see the poor, the needy and vulnerable not as taxing on our resources, but as family in need and respond to their needs out of love for them.
Our primary motivation would no longer focus on just me and my needs, but would look to God and to my neighbor. Suddenly the wellbeing and safety of “the other” would take on a whole new significance in my life and in the building up of “the Reign of God” here on earth!
So, my stance on issues like just war theory, euthanasia, abortion, equal access to education, just wages, racial justice, affordable housing, equal access to healthcare, compassionate care of the elderly, infirmed and mentally ill, would all be shaped by my love of God and my love of neighbor, knowing them to be sisters and brothers.
If all these issues were viewed solely through the lens of this one commandment of loving God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves, it would call me to learn to let go of all my biases.
Imagine the social and political impact it would have in our country and around the world if all Christians, or even if just a majority of Christians, began to work towards building up Jesus’ vision of the Reign of God!
And of course imagine the impact it would have on the church itself, if all the priests, deacons, nuns, brothers, bishops and cardinals used this commandment as their primary lens through which they exercised every aspect of their ministry -- it would be transformative! Clericalism and careerism would be replaced with servant leadership which would bring about an end to the ongoing leadership scandal in the church that Pope Francis so often de-cries.
Within our country all our political discourse would radically change -- poverty, racism, misogyny and the marginalization of others would not be tolerated…imagine! Jesus did...No, he commanded that it be so! This is his vision of “the Reign of God”, and it is the challenge that Jesus places before us as his disciples…for us to put love of God and love our neighbor first, before all else!
What would my life look like if I set aside any resentments or pettiness I might have and choose to accept and love people just the way they were regardless of how wrong I might believe them to be? How do I best show my love of God and my love of neighbor? What might I need to change in my life to make Jesus’ commandment more fully the standard by which I live?
Blessings,
Fr. Tim
A very powerful statement to be sure, but it seems we still haven’t got it! We still put all kinds of rules and regulations and pious practices ahead of this one, clearly stated, commandment. Even though Jesus was so very clear about it, it seems that we still insist on putting all these other rules and regulations ahead of this one straight forward commandment.
Imagine if we were to order our lives around this singular commandment -- imagine how the world could be. Imagine if we focused on truly loving God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves, if that was the singular organizing principle of our lives! Imagine if it was the singular organizing principle of our church by which every other single rule, practice or regulation was ruthlessly judged. Imagine if all of our public and social policies were organized by this singular principle!
Our whole world view would change…we would see migrants and immigrants and refugees not as strangers and threats, but as sisters and brothers. We would see the poor, the needy and vulnerable not as taxing on our resources, but as family in need and respond to their needs out of love for them.
Our primary motivation would no longer focus on just me and my needs, but would look to God and to my neighbor. Suddenly the wellbeing and safety of “the other” would take on a whole new significance in my life and in the building up of “the Reign of God” here on earth!
So, my stance on issues like just war theory, euthanasia, abortion, equal access to education, just wages, racial justice, affordable housing, equal access to healthcare, compassionate care of the elderly, infirmed and mentally ill, would all be shaped by my love of God and my love of neighbor, knowing them to be sisters and brothers.
If all these issues were viewed solely through the lens of this one commandment of loving God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves, it would call me to learn to let go of all my biases.
Imagine the social and political impact it would have in our country and around the world if all Christians, or even if just a majority of Christians, began to work towards building up Jesus’ vision of the Reign of God!
And of course imagine the impact it would have on the church itself, if all the priests, deacons, nuns, brothers, bishops and cardinals used this commandment as their primary lens through which they exercised every aspect of their ministry -- it would be transformative! Clericalism and careerism would be replaced with servant leadership which would bring about an end to the ongoing leadership scandal in the church that Pope Francis so often de-cries.
Within our country all our political discourse would radically change -- poverty, racism, misogyny and the marginalization of others would not be tolerated…imagine! Jesus did...No, he commanded that it be so! This is his vision of “the Reign of God”, and it is the challenge that Jesus places before us as his disciples…for us to put love of God and love our neighbor first, before all else!
What would my life look like if I set aside any resentments or pettiness I might have and choose to accept and love people just the way they were regardless of how wrong I might believe them to be? How do I best show my love of God and my love of neighbor? What might I need to change in my life to make Jesus’ commandment more fully the standard by which I live?
Blessings,
Fr. Tim
RSS Feed
