One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’
From the Gospel for the Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mark 12:28-34)
One of my most powerful experiences of this ‘whole of self’ love was at the birth of our first son. Holding him for the first time, I was immediately overwhelmed by feelings of love for him. I knew in that instant that there was nothing I would not ever do for him.
But then two other moments followed that came as unexpected gifts. Just as I was coming off this high of emotion, I gasped with awe as I wondered, ‘Do my own parents love me this much?’ And in asking the question I knew for the first time how much they loved me, indeed all their sons and only daughter.
But what caught me completely unawares was the question which followed on the heels of the previous question, ‘Could God, my Father, our Father, possibly love me this much?’ And in pondering, I dared believe that he loves us as any father or mother – with all his heart, with all her soul, with all his mind, and with all her strength.
In coming to know the depths of the love of God in our lives – be it in birth or tragedy, be it in an early morning walk or a drink with friends marvelling at a sunset, be it in a workout or a meditation, feasting or fasting, we can come to more truly know ourselves and in this true knowledge comes the love of self which is the true measure of our love for neighbour.
‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture: This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. From the Gospel for the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mark 7:1-8. 14-15. 21-23)
The Sunday Gospel invites the questions, “How close or far is my heart from God?” and, ‘What would it mean for me, if my heart was indeed closer to the heart of God who is love?’ (c.f. 1 Jn 1:1) Perhaps our own life experience provides some insights. As we are drawn into friendships, relationships with partners, husbands and wives, and especially as parents with children, we find our hearts opening in wondrous new ways. We can find our sense of self shifting centre as their joys and hopes, griefs and anxieties become our own. We find their love lifting us up, encouraging and inspiring us, bringing new meaning and purpose to our lives. It’s as if a new heart, a new self, emerges in a unity of persons we call a marriage, a family or friendship. Anyone in love knows that it is the heart rather than any set of rules, that inspires us to action, that teaches what is ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’, as we commit ourselves to the good of those we love.
Perhaps drawing nearer to the heart of God is similar. As in life, our hearts open to reveal new depths as our sense of self shifts centre. Our worldview finds a new focus. We find ourselves being lifted up, consoled, encouraged and inspired. We seek the will of God before our own. As our hearts draw closer to God we are drawn ever more fully into the unity of Persons we call Trinity and the unity of persons we call Church. May we all continue to lead and teach and serve with a heart that has drawn closer to God and each other, and which beats as one with the heart of Christ.
by Greg Wilson
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