Deacon Tom Writes,
“The
11th Commandment?”
If you ask any of our Religious Education students what commandment
Jesus quotes in today’s gospel when He says, “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you”, I am sure
there would be some very interesting answers. I’m willing to bet that would
also be the case if you asked their parents‼!
There are times during Jesus ministry when He seems very comfortable
formulating His own commandments. Could it be that He thought His Father got it
wrong, or perhaps Moses made a mistake when he chiseled them down on the stone
tablets when he received them from God on Mount Sinai? Remember when Jesus was
asked what was the greatest commandment and He came back with, “You shall love the Lord your God with your
whole heart, with your whole soul, and with all your mind”… then He added,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (MT 22:37). What’s up? Weren’t Ten
Commandments enough? Is He adding another commandment for us to obey?
The marketing experts on Madison Avenue have an expression I think is
applicable here. They say, “It’s all
about the spin.” When they advise a company about bringing a product to
market, they will tell them to present it in the best light possible. Jesus
uses that technique at times also. Jesus knows the prescriptions of the law. He
told the Pharisees that He came “…not to
abolish the laws, but to fulfill them” (MT 5:17).
Jesus isn’t giving us any new commandments but rather putting a
positive spin on the original ones. Jesus’ emphasis is love. By calling us to a
spirit of love, He is making it easier for us to obey all the commandments that
God gave us. And this is how it works: if you love God, you will honor Him and
you will want to worship Him and be united with Him in a deeper personal and
intimate way... which is accomplished by spending time with Him in prayer. If
you love your parents, you will honor and respect them as they should be
respected and honored. If you love your neighbor, you will not cheat him, steal
from her, gossip about them, kill them, or wish them ill will. You will not
objectify people and exploit them for you own purpose.
Jesus gives us a new vision, a new understanding of the “Old” law, the
commandments. Love makes it easier to do what is right and avoid doing what is
wrong. Jesus is a genius at simplicity. Where there were Ten Commandments, He
sees that only one is necessary, the one we hear today: “Love one another……as I have loved you.”
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
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