Test?

"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." [Matthew 22: Sunday's Gospel]

It could hardly be put more simply. Love God with all you are; love others at least as well as you love yourself. Why is it then, we seem to have so much trouble with this? I begin each day reading the local paper. I’d guess that about 30 to 40 percent is about how we fail at the second part of this pair. Those news bits are about murder, robbery, gossip, malfeasance, and more. About 2 or 3 percent seem to be about something good. This morning a local woman was highlighted as one of 500 nationally invited to the White House because of her volunteer efforts. That was nice to read. She seems to get it.

I went to a Bible study last night with a group of people I don’t know. Meeting new people is always hard for me, so this was a big deal. The man to my left was named—it really doesn’t matter. I found him friendly at first, but quickly he began to be contentious with the leader and others who spoke up. Argumentative in an environment in which we had been encouraged to listen to other points of view. To my right was a young man who had broken his wrist and who looked a bit ragged. About half way through the Bible study, he leaned over and asked for money to buy some BC powders for the pain in his wrist. I didn’t doubt he was in pain, but I also believed the free clinic that set his wrist had probably given him something for it. Was I being taken advantage of? Conned?

Was this a Phariseean test for me? On my left hand a difficult person to like. On my right hand a stranger who hit me up for a few bucks. I left the parish hall wondering if I’d return. I will, I decided, on the ride home. But the real test for me is how I will relate to these two people next week. My natural tendency will be to avoid them. But would that be loving?

Peace,

Jerry+