CAMINANDO WITH JESUS: Give Love and Embrace Love

One of the scribes came near and heard the Saducees disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

- Mark 12:28-34

There is something beautiful about the simplicity of Jesus’ response to the scribes when asked, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Love God above everything and love your neighbor as yourself is the radical and unequivocal response from the Rabbi. As simple as this requirement may appear, it has confounded faith followers for many generations.

The first statement focuses the reader on the recognition that God is above all and there is a requirement to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” At first glance, it may feel overwhelming to have to give everything to God. There is no wiggle room in your love for God. It requires everything you have: your heart, mind, soul and strength. The wondrous thing is that same God makes space in your heart and mind to love others. There are levels of love, and we often refer to the love given to God as agape. It is unconditional and in a league of its own. It is the recognition that God offers you everything you need in life. God gives you peace in the midst of torrential storms. Given the battle of multiple pandemics in the last couple of years, God has offered peace to God’s sheep internally, while the external battles of wearing masks and getting vaccinated have raged in this nation. God has offered peace in our hearts and minds while a large swath of God’s society has cried out for justice and mercy. Many voices have been lifted seeking justice for black and brown people victimized by law enforcement and for all those who have lost their lives due to community violence. God provides comfort to the afflicted. God is present in moments of grief and joy, losses and achievements. Wherever and whenever you need God, you need only to call out to God. In exchange, your mandate is to trust God and be grateful for the grace, mercy and compassion given to all.

The second part of Jesus’ statement initially sounds very plausible. “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Living in a world where we love each other as ourselves should be easy, but it is fraught with challenges. For many, learning to loving others begins at the earliest age. We learn to love our parents and siblings before we develop an understanding of outside relationships. In school, teachers often remind their students about extending love and kindness to one another. Many folks carry the Golden Rule in their minds and hearts: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." As we mature, other people (some who are strangers in our paths), we learn, are also entitled to the same type of love as those in our inner circle. In this turbulent time, loving neighbors as ourselves seems very illusive. The vitriolic rhetoric that surrounds many issues is far removed from the love Jesus called us to in his answer to the scribes. Loving our neighbor requires a willingness to listen to the concerns of others, and it also requires a type of empathy to see ourselves in others.

Loving ourselves every day is a difficulty Jesus did not address specifically. It is intrinsic in belonging to the kingdom of God to accept yourself as you are. With all the imperfections, you are able to love yourself because of God’s love for you. Improvement is always possible. We are all a work in progress. As we reflect on what it is to be a child of God, we are reminded that God always permits right turns in life. Just as Jesus restored sight to blind Bartimaeus, so he will address your imperfections if you cry out to him. There is a fantastic image of the blind beggar jumping up when Jesus calls to him. Despite the people insisting Bartimaeus stay quiet and remain invisible during Jesus’s visit to Jericho, he understood who Jesus was, and he wanted the ultimate opportunity to be healed. Oh, that we would leap towards Jesus and ask him to heal our hearts of those things that prevent us from being our finest selves. Love yourself when you don’t think you are smart enough, thin enough, pretty enough or accomplished enough. Give yourself grace, and know that you are able to love you because God loves you.

When we love ourselves, our minds and hearts are open to receive love and to give love. The Jesus admonition to “love your neighbor as you love yourself” is imaginable and possible. Fear of the other is replaced with a genuine desire to know others outside of your immediate community. Suspicion of those coming to American shores seeking a better life ceases and instead offers an invitation to love God’s children who are much less fortunate than ourselves.

Recently, at the Holy Eucharist at Washington National Cathedral, the dean offered all who were present an opportunity to receive holy communion if they so desired, regardless of their baptismal or denomination status. He extended the love of Christ, through the bread of life and the cup of salvation, the body and blood, to anyone needing God’s love.

Keep mindful, beloved, of the greatest and most important two-fold commandment that we received. Remain passionate in your love of God even at the toughest moments. Show the greatest level of compassion for all your neighbors, even if they are incapable of returning that love to you. You are formed with the greatest love of all, the love of God. May that sustain you always.

The Rev. Kathleen Walker is the missioner for Black ministries in the Diocese of North Carolina.