Hosea 14:1-9, Ps 81, Mark 12:28-34
The First Commandment
Today the prophet Hosea offers a spring-like message. To the people of Israel, who had turned from the lord toward idols, Hosea had foretold catastrophe and it had come in the form of foreign occupation and exile from their homeland. But now Hosea offers a new message, one of hope.
“Return to the Lord”, Hosea invites, “return and put away your false gods and idols. Turn to the lord and he will renew you like the shoots of the garden flowers come out of the ground in the spring time”.
A mission preacher once mentioned to me that not once in his years as a priest had he heard someone confessing to the sin of worshiping idols. One might think that would be a good thing, but I’m not so sure that it reflects the reality of our lives. Take a look at our modern “cathedrals”, no, I’m not talking about Churches. I am thinking of those other modern places of worship; the massive sports arenas, the shopping malls and concert halls, the banks and insurance buildings lining our city streets grander then any gothic basilica. We fill these venues easily while our churches are empty. Then we wonder why our society has so many problems. Hosea might have some thoughts about that.
The people of Israel heard Hosea, they repented and the invitation of Hosea became their most important prayer. It is the prayer that we hear Jesus use in the Gospel reading today.
As the scribe approaches Jesus he asks, very plainly, “What is the bottom line? There are all these rules and regulations, precepts and commandments, prescriptions and admonitions. What is it that I need to know, so that I can live a life holy in God’s eyes?”
Jesus quotes the Shema, the beautiful prayer of the Jewish people, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Jesus affirms Hosea’s message to put aside all other things and turn to God as the center of our lives. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with your entire mind.” There is no part of us that should be separated from the love of God. We can’t love God without having God a part of everything that we think, feel, say or do.
We may wonder how we know that we are accomplishing that. It’s simple and hard at the same time. Jesus answers the question for us when he adds the second greatest commandment. We will know that we love God when we love one another and as we love ourselves.
Is your life an expression of love for God and neighbor?
Is their anything that you need to atone for?
