Buddy Fisher, St. Luke’s member

Mark 12:28-34 (NIV)

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Reflection:

Jesus’ time in Jerusalem’s Temple is a disruption of the accepted principles of faith. Not only is he surrounded by those who will lead him to his death, but these people have also contributed to and benefited from the corruption of his religion. His answer implies that we are not in need of “teachers of law,” for even as the mouthpiece of God he does not answer a call for ruling with more rules. In this volatile environment, Jesus defies expectations of a vengeful God and does not express anger or disappointment or implore macabre penance; instead, he offers the gentleness and simplicity of love and service and rather than any mention of “do-nots.”

I have a bad (daily *wink*) habit of leaving things on the edge of a surface. I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone or pull some practical joke. It’s not a choice I’m making, yet somehow most plates, cups, phones, books, etc., etc. only make it most-of-the-way onto the counter, table, desk, chair, etc., etc. I have tried to rework this strange flaw, but for whatever reason, it is a gap in my personhood. As you can imagine, many have noticed and moved one of these items, wondering why it had been placed so “carelessly.” Some have even gotten mad about it. My partner, Isadora, used to make light jokes when she would see my cup (or the like) hanging off the edge of the table. They were mild on mild on mild, but the more she made the jokes the more I felt demoralized–like a thoughtless failure. So I started getting defensive, and once I started getting defensive she started getting defensive, and then we were fighting . . . about me leaving half an inch of my cup off of the edge of the table . . . so tell me again what my big moral stance was? Hm. I don’t remember either. Well, did anything break or even spill? No. So then why are we suddenly on different teams?

Isadora and I got sick of fighting about little things like my edginess, so we have enacted a policy of gentleness with each other. What are my guiding principles to live gently? Love God above all else by loving everyone and everything with all my heart, with all my understanding, and with all my strength. Now, Isadora moves my cups to safety when I’m not looking; and by protecting my feelings, she is loving me with all her heart, understanding and strength. By making her love for me the most important part of even this minutiae–rather than fulfill any desire to express her own displeasure with the placement of the item or quell her anxiety about its potential fall–she is acting on Jesus words’ of love and service, of gentleness.

Prayer,

God, thank you so much for the words of Christ. Through him, we know your will. When I begin to focus too much on the rules, the consequences, the shoulds, and the should-nots; remind me to be gentle. All you really want is for me to love. God, help us to always choose love. Amen.