The Reunion
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” Mark 12:29-33
I went to a high school reunion this past weekend. It was great because I got to see people I had not seen in nearly 40 years, and spending time with them, hearing about how well things were going in their lives and their children’s lives was amazing. Bringing smiles to their faces telling them stories about my twelve grandchildren was heartening as well. It was good to remember the times we spent together and how we have grown since then. I gained inspiration from the things the school represented for me. You see, it was only but a year of my life. However, that one year is still the defining year in my life. Why, you might ask. It’s because that is where I saw a world as God would want it to be. Filled with love and appreciation for each other. It was flowing with conversations of life and inspiration. We were encouraging of each other. I even got to meet new friends as well. Now keep in mind, this was not church, nor would I pretend it to be. But you see, God’s presence was there. It did not need to be either said or uttered. Each of us represented part of that greatest commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself. It was exciting. I am thankful to God for reminding me how special that time was.
We often forget how God works through others. We reach out to Him looking for answers, and we read scriptures to give us a source of inspiration. The key is we must remember that God is always present and around us, but that presence neither is visible, nor can it be touched. It can be felt most often through one another in fellowship. I think about my wife and how often I see God in her. Not in a worship kind of way. More that her wisdom, her kind heart, her love for others and me best represents the closest I get to seeing God on earth. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13) I bring this up not focusing on laying down one’s life for another. It is to note that Jesus focuses on the greatest love is not for self or dare I say even God although I know better (more in a second). It is for others. Why would Jesus say love for friends and not God? It is quite simply this. We cannot physically or visually show love to God. Yes, we can shout praises and say we are doing things in the name of God, but that is primarily between us and God. Buying lunch for someone or giving someone a warm hug letting them know how much their lives mean to you is the definition of showing God on earth. It is never about us. It is about each other. The teacher of religious law in today’s verses sees that in answering Jesus because the focus is still on loving God, but it is understanding to love God is to love others, and that is greater than anything else even above any offering and sacrifices in God’s law itself.
God’s love is not of this world, but it means the world to us and those in it. When we share it, others feel more than just our presence. They feel something that is only God inspired. This is what we missed when we could not connect with each other through a global pandemic. We must realize that there are so many others who still feel unconnected in our world. Our love for others must go beyond just a simple social media or a halfhearted “How are you.” It must be time consuming, heartfelt, and dare I say at times painful to show we are present to all those who surround us. Let us aspire to be the love Jesus spoke of and spread it like His message did long after He ascended to heaven. Who can you reach out to today to remind them of the love you have for them? How can you continue to grow in love through Jesus Christ? My prayer is we connect with others to remember how special the love God instilled in us is. Amen.