November 4, 2018
Texts:
Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Mark 12:28-34
Ruth 1:1-18
Feel very privileged to lead on these passages. Last time I got Psalm 23, the most read passage in the Bible, this time I get the Greatest Commandment!
But the Greatest Commandment—despite its clearly marked label—isn't read enough, and certainly isn't obeyed enough.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength."
"OK, OK, right, got it: I'll love God. I do love God. Check. OK, what's next? Well, love thy neighbor. OK that's all the good-works stuff, that's the hard part, that's what's in the rest of the commandments, OK makes sense..." But wait a minute...
Did Jesus miss anything? Ha No, "this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." or from Matthew, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
OK let's go back. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." When we start to think about this, we have one of those moments—doesn't this happen all the time—we read the text and almost immediately we're making excuses. 'Sure it says that but c'mon! ALL my heart? ALL my soul? ALL my mind? ALL my strength? What's left for me? When do I go on break?'
Something we've thought on this year in Mark—which I've learned this semester from Professor Grieb—is actually characterized by Jesus' continued disappointment in the disciples. Something we've talked about is how discouraging it is to think that these guys that were with Jesus all the time, in his physical presence, seeing him perform miracles, that they still screwed up constantly. If they couldn't do it am I really expected to?
Yes. In the midst of, in spite of the Dunkin Donuts drive-through and the murder mystery podcast and unread emails and tax bills and auto repairs… God's Kingdom is our work! Whatever is not in service to God's Kingdom AT ALL TIMES, then give to Caesar what is Caesar's. I know, I have too many distractions.
Well, what am I supposed to do, become a monk?! Maybe. Some people are called to that. But not everyone. We all have different gifts. People are called to different things. Christ wasn't a monk in a monastery, he went out among the people a preached to the Empire. But he did make time to be alone with God. "Early in the morning," it says, before dawn, Christ would pray and be in silence.
Thomas Keating, a Cistercian monk, wrote many books, advocate of Centering Prayer. He died this week. He knew the power of that time with God, and that by receiving God, we could more easily and honestly share God. I want to take some time to remember him and to be in silence as he advocated at the end of the service.
We are all so different. None of us is going to love God the same way. It's a mixed up crazy world. Raise your hand if something didn't PISS YOU OFF this week? Raise your hand if someone didn't disappoint you this week. Raise your hand if you didn't do something you regretted. I bet I hurt someone and didn't even know it. And for each of us, all those things were different. So too were the blessed moments.
What's the common core? in what ways are we the same? In most ways, actually. Biologically, neurologically, etc. But you know what we all know? As strong as we are, as tough as we've been getting through beating alcoholism, beating self-hate, beating racism, whatever it is we did and are still overcoming, we can't do it alone. We rely on each other constantly for food, housing, safety, assurance, and where did all that come from?… God. Here's a trinity for you...
Ready for some fun psychology? I can't love others as Jesus did because I didn't love God enough. Because I didn't love God fully, I never really loved myself and because I never really loved myself, I could only stumble through trying to love others. It was never really possible. Trying to fit my broken self in with your broken self we're gonna make some fireworks.
Many of you know that I am married to Emily who regularly attends here. She is a lovely woman. But we have our differences. Marriage has brought her and me together, closer than we have ever been to another person. That means it includes the kisses and sweet nicknames, as well as the disappointments and farts under the covers. GUILTY! We've had the joy of attending many weddings over the last few years, and each time we are reminded of the blessing of marriage and how, when are intentionally invoking God in our seeking and our love, both persons gain in wisdom and grace because they better understand the human condition through a deeper knowing of each other.
Of course Jesus wasn't married; we don't need to be. But don't think that gets you out of our call to be radically loving! And just 'cause I bought in fully with Emily doesn't mean God expects me to be any less loving toward Russ next door, or Michael, or Barbara, or anyone else.
"Divine love is not an attitude that one puts on like a cloak. It is rather the right way to respond to reality. It is the right relationship to being, including our own being. And that relationship is primarily one of receiving... An important part of the response to divine love, once it has been received, is to pass it on to our neighbor in a way that is appropriate in the present moment." [Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart, as shared by Marjory Bankson on Nov. 9, 2018] Whaaaa???!?!
Remember when asked by the probing Pharisees in Matthew 5:17, Jesus says he came "not to abolish [the law], but to fulfill." This is the law, and it doesn't have a sharp edge.
Ruth 1:18
Going with that … reminds me of The Great Commission at the end of Matthew. "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." As with Naomi and her dedication to Ruth (and her God), we go with Christ, Christ goes with us.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.