How To Love
36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 37 He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." 41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: 42 "What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David." 43 He said to them, "How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 44 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet"'? 45 "If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?" (Matthew 22:36-45)
Once again, the Pharisees tried to trip Jesus up, this time by asking which command was the greatest. They had no argument with Jesus' reply that the command to love God was the greatest, followed by loving neighbor. Initially, it might seem that Jesus changed the subject when he asked them a follow up question about the lineage of the Messiah. But actually Jesus was expanding their understanding of the commandments to love. The Pharisees answered that the Messiah is the son of David. But they were speechless when Jesus asked why, if the Messiah is David's son, did David refer to him as Lord.
Customarily, a father was considered higher in status than his son. The Pharisees were correct in stating that the Messiah is the son of David, but they failed to understand or accept the humility needed to honor the Messiah above themselves. David was willing to submit himself to the Messiah but the Pharisees were not. Without this piece of the puzzle, the Pharisees could know the Law and still be unable to truly practice it.
We are not so different from the Pharisees. We know that we are supposed to love God and neighbor, but as long as we hold on to our hierarchies, our ideological, religious, and political differences, our desire to have more or be considered better than another, we are failing to humble ourselves and submit to the will of Jesus. Loving our neighbor doesn't mean that we will agree with them, it means that we seek the same good for them that we want for ourselves. That's how we are called to love. With God's help, may we yield to the will and example of Jesus.
God's kingdom come, God's will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 "Speak to all the congregation of the Israelites and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. 15 "You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand idly by when the blood of your neighbor is at stake: I am the LORD. 17 "You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18)
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:1-8a)
Enjoy this original song by yours truly.
And this gospel classic.
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