The Commandment to Love

The two great commandments are surely the heart, soul and mind of the gospel (Matthew 22:34-46. Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost. Proper 25 [30] ) For myself, and for many others, the challenge, wisdom and focus of this teaching never comes to an end for in each new and old relationship and situation is the question "What does love look like in this moment?"

Sentence:

“Jesus 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 neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

Collect:

Gracious God,

We become before you heart, soul and mind

to worship and to learn your ways.

Help us to receive with open hearts, souls and minds

your grace and wisdom until we overflow

with love of you, our selves and our neighbours. Amen.

Reflection:

Surely this is the heart of the gospel and the purpose of our lives to learn these two commandments until they are imprinted on our DNA, until they guide and guard our hearts, souls and minds.

You may like to read what I have previously written about the background of these commandments.

The Two Great Commandments

Or you may like to read what I have previously written with a focus on the universal aspects of this wisdom. 

The Golden Rule

But these commandments were never simply to be nice and kind to our selves and those individuals we meet. The location of this teaching – at the end, not the beginning, of Jesus’ teaching – and in response to a challenge to his authority – makes it clear that the life, teaching, approaching death and resurrection, of Jesus is the culmination of salvation history and in keeping with the heart and soul and mind of Judaism. He is therefore not only “Son of David” but the culminating fruit of the line of David.

For us it means that this is not some vague aspirational commandment to be nice and helpful (although there is nothing wrong with this) but a clarifying imperative as to what is most important and from which all else unfolds! The first and central command to love God with all that we are calls us to the depths of existence and to the heart of life now and always – that our very life springs from our relationship with the Divine, the Creator of all. And the commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves is not a watered down suggestion that we be nice. Once again being nice is not wrong but I don’t think being nice and feeling warm mushy feelings is the requirement of the two great commandments.

Rather we are called to love as an ethic, as a lightning rod in the chaos of life, as a guidance system when we do not know how to act in response to our surroundings. When we ask ourselves “What would Jesus do?” (which sometimes helps and sometimes not so much) we are effectively asking “What does love look like in this situation?” or “How does love best express itself in this situation or relationship?”

One of the first ways in which Jesus seems to have demonstrated love of neighbour was recognition – to see those others couldn’t or did not wish to. And Jesus in his humanity at times seems to have struggled too such as when the Syrophoenician woman asked for healing for her child. But Jesus saw those on the edge and indeed those beyond the bounds of proper society.

Secondly Jesus engaged with those he saw. Often with healing, sometimes by honouring those who had little honour, by sitting on the Temple steps or a mountain side and discussing the meaning of life. And part of this was to identify himself with those often regarded as less important. By eating and drinking with folk, by speaking from the place of the questioner and disrupter of society, he brought issues into focus. And in doing so Jesus bought into focus where our attention needs to be.

And Jesus brought people into community to become mutual breakers of bread and sharers of meaning. The commandments to love were never about private spiritual perfection so much as about entering the chaos of life and discovering and making love out of real life situations with real people.

Sometimes the church has been at the forefront of demonstrating how to love our neighbours in times of social reform but too often the church has resisted loving neighbours that don’t measure up in some way. Often it is we who need to be taught by our neighbours how to love and engage. May Jesus convert us layer by layer until we are indeed children of a loving God.

Intercessions:

Gracious God,

who has created us with love for the purposes of love.

So open our hearts, souls and minds

that we may experience your love

and so grow in our capacity to love our neighbours near and far.

We particularly pray for our neighbours who suffer from poverty, violence, ignorance and any form of exclusion.

Help us to see our neighbours, to engage, respond and stand with all who are precious in your sight.

Gracious God,

Hear our prayer.

Jesus our Teacher and good Disruptor of our smallness,

Teach us how to see as you saw

until we know ourselves and others truly loved.

Disturb us with the desire for goodness for our neighbours

when we are satisfied with platitudes and cruel divisions.

We particularly pray that you would grant us

the courage and compassion to explore places

and traditions of meeting one another is the search for truth and mercy.

Jesus, our Teacher and Disruptor,

Hear our prayer.

Spirit of Love and Connection, bind us together with the bonds of love and set us free so that we can love freely and recklessly until this world is indeed the kingdom of God.

When we despair – encourage us,

When we are afraid or suspicious – grant us clear vision and purpose,

When we are constrained by our too small goals – expand our hearts and souls and minds until there is room for you and one another.

Spirit of Love and Connection,

Hear our prayer.

Gracious God,

Loving Creator, Disruptor, and Spirit of Love and Connection,

Open our hearts and souls and minds to your invitation to the fullness of life.

Amen. 

This is my work informed by all that I have heard, read and experienced. I am indebted to the wisdom of others.