The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God". (Mk 12:32-34)
The scribe is not far from God, but not quite there yet. Understanding a teaching, understanding the wisdom of a commandment, is an important step. But actually doing something about it, is another story. The proof is in the pudding, or, we can talk about the recipe for a good pudding but only when we make the pudding and taste it will we know if it's good. Our knowledge is tied to personal human experience. We can hear and use reason to build our knowledge, but wisdom is built on experience. Politicians say many things, but we judge them on the basis of their actions. So too, we, like the scribe, might understand the words, but the next step separates the men from the boys, or the sheep from the goats. Now that we know, what are we going to do about it?
Living a life reflecting the love of God and neighbour is that last step that shall bring us Home.
Yet of the pompous scribes that Jesus warns us about, the men who demand respect and privilege, who dress for show and who recite their knowledge to impress, who take the best seat both before God and at banquets, Jesus tells us that these men know not what they do. They have forgotten God. The world has distracted them. They shall be judged by the Lord: the Christ warns us to not follow in their footsteps. Rather, be the the poor woman who trusts in God and puts in her two cents, all that she has (she could have put in only one of her coins and kept the other for food) because her faith is more important than worldly possessions, material comforts.
Who chooses to be poor? We judge swiftly today with our poverty line, third-world examples on tv and social awareness of bling, gadgets and movie star standards. Simpleness? Humbleness? St. Francis, like many men before him, chose poverty / humbleness as a less cluttered means to an end that is closeness to God. How can we see our brothers if we only see the robes and jewelry, their better seats and wealthy lifestyles? Can we see beyond all this? And if the reality of riches in which they choose to live is not our reality? Me thinks that the pretences will fall away. Again, St. Francis did let anything of this world come between him and God. And freed from separation, he could be closer to his neighbours to share his wisdom and compassion. The rich man could not give up all he had to follow Jesus: fear kept him bound to habit and materialism.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood (Mk 12:44)
Understanding poverty and humbleness, like understanding the commandment to love God and neighbour alike, is therefore one part of the journey on the path to God. What are we willing to do on this path? How can we use this mental awareness to take the next step to physically change our lives and world to reflect and disseminate and teach our understanding? Again and again and again we are invited. It wont always be easy, St. Paul tells us today from prison, but it is worthwhile!
Deo gratias.
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God". (Mk 12:32-34)
The scribe is not far from God, but not quite there yet. Understanding a teaching, understanding the wisdom of a commandment, is an important step. But actually doing something about it, is another story. The proof is in the pudding, or, we can talk about the recipe for a good pudding but only when we make the pudding and taste it will we know if it's good. Our knowledge is tied to personal human experience. We can hear and use reason to build our knowledge, but wisdom is built on experience. Politicians say many things, but we judge them on the basis of their actions. So too, we, like the scribe, might understand the words, but the next step separates the men from the boys, or the sheep from the goats. Now that we know, what are we going to do about it?
Living a life reflecting the love of God and neighbour is that last step that shall bring us Home.
Yet of the pompous scribes that Jesus warns us about, the men who demand respect and privilege, who dress for show and who recite their knowledge to impress, who take the best seat both before God and at banquets, Jesus tells us that these men know not what they do. They have forgotten God. The world has distracted them. They shall be judged by the Lord: the Christ warns us to not follow in their footsteps. Rather, be the the poor woman who trusts in God and puts in her two cents, all that she has (she could have put in only one of her coins and kept the other for food) because her faith is more important than worldly possessions, material comforts.
Who chooses to be poor? We judge swiftly today with our poverty line, third-world examples on tv and social awareness of bling, gadgets and movie star standards. Simpleness? Humbleness? St. Francis, like many men before him, chose poverty / humbleness as a less cluttered means to an end that is closeness to God. How can we see our brothers if we only see the robes and jewelry, their better seats and wealthy lifestyles? Can we see beyond all this? And if the reality of riches in which they choose to live is not our reality? Me thinks that the pretences will fall away. Again, St. Francis did let anything of this world come between him and God. And freed from separation, he could be closer to his neighbours to share his wisdom and compassion. The rich man could not give up all he had to follow Jesus: fear kept him bound to habit and materialism.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood (Mk 12:44)
Understanding poverty and humbleness, like understanding the commandment to love God and neighbour alike, is therefore one part of the journey on the path to God. What are we willing to do on this path? How can we use this mental awareness to take the next step to physically change our lives and world to reflect and disseminate and teach our understanding? Again and again and again we are invited. It wont always be easy, St. Paul tells us today from prison, but it is worthwhile!
Deo gratias.
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