When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 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.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet”’?
If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions. Matthew 22:34-46
None of us, in this day and age, like commandments and orders. We have replaced them with dietary rules, personal trainers and virtual instructors. We pick and choose what to believe and who we follow. Those of us who are ordained have taken vows. "Will you respect and be guided by the direction and leadership of your bishop?" And as a bishop, "will you be merciful to all, show compassion to the poor and strangers, and defend those who have no helper?" My answer was always yes and I will. Yet, some in positions of power, in the church and elsewhere, have quickly put aside their vows if it doesn't suit their narrative. Jesus tells us that we are all called to love God and our neighbor. Too often we forget that our neighbor is also a reflection of God, maybe a strange reflection to us, but beloved of God. Let us put love first, since God is love and the way to know God is to love.
Wondrous Creator, you made the rainbow and the storm
and you love every person and create in this world.
Remake us and humble us, dear Lord, so we might carry your love again.
We shrug off our responsibility to love with name calling
saying those people come from terrible places and are dangerous.
Remake us and humble us, dear Lord, so we might carry your love again.
We make enemies of the victims of horrendous crimes
seeing them only as a danger to our children and elders.
Remake us and humble us, dear Lord, so we might carry your love again.
We don't love those who clean up after us nor do we thank them
we fail time and time again to follow your commandment to love.
Remake us and humble us, dear Lord, so we might carry your love again.
Help us Lord, to be humble and find ways to care for your creation
you have loved us abundantly, and we called to return that gratitude.
Remake us and humble us, dear Lord, so we might carry your love again.
Make our hearts and minds turn toward those without help
making your love and mercy our first and only priority.
Remake us and humble us, dear Lord, so we might carry your love again. Amen.
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