We love God by loving our neighbor.

Thursday, 6/8/17

Between the Scribes and the Doctors of the Jewish Law there had been an ongoing dispute as to what was the greatest commandment: was it one dealing with keeping holy the Sabbath, or  was  it one dealing with keeping Kosher.

Looking for Our Lord’s view on the controversy, the Scribe asked Jesus what was he greatest commandment, and Jesus gave him an altogether surprising answer:

The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.

The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these."

The first part of that is in Deuteronomy. 6:4. For Jewish people it is an important as the Sign of the Cross is for Catholics. In Hebrew it goes like this:

Schma, Israel; Adonaie Elohim, Adonai acham.  

That schma is a little stronger than: Hear! It is more like, “Shut up, and listen!!”