Sunday 11 July 2010

Background

The lawyer in this story is out to challenge Jesus, to test him,to see if his claims to speak for God are true. To be a 'lawyer' inJesus' day meant to be an expert in the Scriptures - what we todaywould see as a religious teacher. Jesus recognises this expertiseand draws out of him the answer to his own question. It is thelawyer who summarises the Jewish Scriptures with the famous sayingabout loving God and loving your neighbour. But it is Jesus' ownteaching and actions which demonstrate just how hard human beingscan find it to keep the balance between loving God, lovingneighbour and loving self.

The phrase about loving your neighbour as yourself has caused a lotof discussion in the Church. It is worth reflecting on what it doesnot say. It does not say love yourneighbour as much as you love yourself, butrather as you love yourself. The focusis not on how we feel (ie Do I have the same emotion for myneighbour as I do for myself?) but on how we act (ie Do wedemonstrate the same care for others that we do for ourselves?)Jesus' own words in Matthew 7:12 about "do[ing] to others as youwould have them do to you" spring to mind.

The conversation with the lawyer leads to the parable of the GoodSamaritan (verses 29-37), which is then followed by the incidentwith Martha and Mary (verses 38-42). In the parable, the Samaritanis commended for going out of his way to show practical love to aninjured man. Although the reading for today stops at the end of theparable it does help to read it alongside the followingstory.

Martha is wearing herself out trying to show practical care forothers and is encouraged to copy Mary in sitting at Jesus' feet.Could it be that holding both these stories in our minds might helpus to understand better what it means to love God with all ourhearts, and our neighbours as ourselves?

To Ponder

Looking back over the last week, how well haveyou balanced the need to love God, to love others and to takeproper care of yourself?

Who are the neighbours that you and your churchcould care for? Are you doing enough for them? Are you focusing onpractical care to the exclusion of sitting at Jesus' feet? Whatmight you change?