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October 31, 2021

31st Sunday Ordinary B

Can we command someone to love? We can command “do not steal” with consequences and punishment but can we command love? When the scribe, a scholar of the law, asks Jesus to name the first and greatest commandment, Jesus cites love of God (Deuteronomy) and then love of neighbor (Leviticus). Jesus then links the two commandments. “There is no greater commandment than these.”

In our society, Western culture, love is thought of as a matter of the heart -- romantic, passionate, and emotional. We may use the word “love” in speaking of our cat or dog or in reference to an object: “I love chocolate.” But in the Bible and for Jesus, love means loyalty! Love is loyalty that Jesus has for the Father. Love is the covenant bond between God and the Jewish people. Love is the loyalty or glue that holds the Jewish family and nation together.  

Jesus prefaces the greatest commandment with the prayer “Hear, O Israel!” the “shema” – the daily prayer of an orthodox Jew. Listening is essential in our relationship with God who desires to communicate with us. The scribe’s response to Jesus indicates that he has listened with understanding. Jesus remarks: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

The time and place of the exchange between Jesus and the scribe, are important. Jesus has entered the Holy City of Jerusalem amid shouts of acclamation: “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David. Hosanna in the highest heavens.” The end is near. Jesus will soon celebrate his last Passover with his disciples. Jesus is spending his final days teaching in the temple – the place of public worship and symbol of God’s presence. He is proposing the priority of these two interrelated commandments as key to interpreting all Law, the Torah, and to understanding his own life and mission.

We can place ourselves in the sandals of the scribe and hear the words of Jesus: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the ghost of Jacob Marley comes to haunt Ebenezer Scrooge and forewarn him of his fate. In succession, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come will visit Scrooge to guide him on a path of self-awareness, redemption and transformation.

Monday November 1^st is the feast of All Saints and Tuesday November 2^nd is the feast of All Souls. As we rejoice with the Saints and commend our loved ones to God’s mercy, we can reflect on how their lives and sacrifices still influence and inspire us. The celebration and commemoration of the Holy Ones of every time, place and station can occasion a personal and communal assessment of how we are living the great commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. We pray that Jesus will be able to say to us: “You are not far from the Kingdom of Heaven.”     

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32nd Sunday Ordinary B