In today’s Gospel, Jesus goes to the very foundation of “the whole law and the prophets.” This expression refers to the Mosaic Law, and to entirety of the Israelites’ covenant relationship with God. As we recall, after the dramatic Passover of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to freedom, they travelled in the desert for forty years before reaching the Promised Land. Early in this period God appeared to Moses at Mt. Sinai and handed to him the commandments. The essential context of the commandments is the love relationship that God has with his Chosen People. He will keep his side of the covenant, and his commandments will help his people to keep their side of the covenant. The covenant of love is the key to understanding the law.
By the time of Jesus, the Mosaic Law had been expanded to over six hundred precepts. Different rabbis and teachers of the law emphasized some precepts over others. Given this variety of interpretations, the question from the scholar of the law in today’s Gospel is expected. Since Jesus appears to be a teacher of the law, it would not be unusual to question which of the hundreds of precepts he will emphasize. In his reply, Jesus emphasizes not one law or another but the very basis of the law: love. He summarizes “the whole law and the prophets” with two commandments, love of God and love of neighbor. Love is not so much “commanded” as recognized as the only right response to the God who is Love. Because God loves us his people so much, we should surely love him in return. And to love him must include love for the one whom he loves, our neighbor.
God’s love is not exclusive; it is not limited to the Chosen People. Their chosen-ness was intended as a way to gather all peoples into the covenant of love with him. The breadth of God’s love is expressed in concrete terms in today’s first reading, taken from the Book of Exodus. This passage follows shortly after the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. Here we see God’s commandments applied to various groups: aliens, widows, orphans and poor neighbors. We clearly see that God’s love – and therefore his law – reaches out to all people, including those who do not even belong to the Israelite community. The application of the law here is expressed negatively: “You shall not molest or oppress…. You shall not wrong…. You shall not act like an extortioner.” In this warning not to do bad actions towards others, the basis, again, is God’s love. God identifies himself as “compassionate.” He never wishes ill or does wicked things to people. As his compassion applies to all people, especially the poor, so must ours.
Whereas the first reading identifies actions that are not to be done, today’s second reading, taken from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians, speaks more about what to do. Paul acknowledges that the Thessalonians have become role models for believers in Macedonia, Achaia and beyond. By their persevering and joyful faith, they live as effective Christian witnesses. This became possible because they imitated the Apostle Paul who was himself imitating Jesus Christ the Lord.
Jesus Christ revealed love in its fullness. He is the sign and witness to love – a love that is in perfect union with and fully obedient to the Father, and which pours itself out totally for the good of others. His sacrifice on the Cross is the ultimate revelation of love of God and love of neighbor, the fullest expression of the covenant of love which is the foundation of all laws.
An apostle, from the Greek word apostolos, is one who is sent. The Father sent his Son to reveal Divine Love in the world. The Son, Jesus Christ, sent Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, a witness and a model of love. Paul’s disciples in Thessalonica imitate him and thus become themselves examples of love in the world. All whom God draws near to himself and fills with his life are called and sent as apostles of love, as imitators and witnesses of Jesus Christ. From him we receive the strength to love as he loves, as we proclaim in today’s Psalm: “I love you, Lord, my strength!”
How does my compassion for others reflect the compassion of God? How can I imitate the persevering and joyful faith of the Thessalonians? As a Christian, how have I been a witness to others of the love of God for all?
Excerpt from The Anawim Way, Volume 22, no. 8. More information about The Anawim Way may be found here.