October 29, 2023

Sister Clare Carr, OSB shares a reflection on the scripture readings: Exodus 22:20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10; Matthew 22:34-40

I am sure that many of us have heard that the word love is a verb, and as a verb involves much work. And the word love is often invoked as a noun which makes it cheap and easy. 

Love stands for many emotions. Strong desires, control of another, expectations that you are to receive a reciprocal response. People have done many atrocities in the name of love, believing that they have the right to possess someone. They have done acts of self-love that have violated their very beings. Love is trivialized.

Remember the Beatles song, “Love is all you need?” Jesus sees the word love as a verb. 

He responded to a question posed by a lawyer: What is the greatest commandment?  “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole soul and with all your mind. The second is you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The first part of the commandment was said daily by devout Jews, both the morning and evening. To love God was to be absolutely written in their hearts; it was recited even by every child in the Jewish culture. But the second part, “you must love your neighbor as yourself” was lifted by Jesus from Leviticus. Remember, he was asked what the greatest commandment was, but he gives two as one. 

Love is not mere ardor; it is arduous. Gary Chapman, author and talk show host, speaks of love known through five expressions. Love is known in affirmations, quality time, giving the gift of self in hard times, physical touch, holding hugging, and acts of service. These all are about actions, engaging risk and reaching out.  And yes, even in each of these needs the receiver is to be respected. Love does need permission.

The book of Exodus is also explicit in the directions of how we are to love. We shall put ourselves in the shoes of the other, so to speak; we are to be with the poor, the borrower, the widow, the orphan. We are not to mistreat them but are to hear their cry. Starting with the commands to Moses we are to understand that God is concerned with human suffering and comes to the aid of the poor and downtrodden. However, for the time being, the use of threats is still necessary for the law to be respected. “My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword.” A very strong invocation, but perhaps there will be a day when humans under the direction of God will no longer need threats. We will learn that all are our brothers and sisters, poor and rich alike.

It behooves us to remember the letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians.) This Is a passage often heard in marriage ceremonies. What is love? Patient, kind, not jealous or conceited, neither rude nor selfish. It does not take offense nor is it resentful. It is always ready to trust, to excuse, and to endure whatever comes.

God is love. We have a God who is a verb. A God who is more stubborn and tenacious than a bulldog, who longs to love us with abandon and abundance. And we are called to share this love in the broken, angry world we are a part of. We are to be an alternative to hate. We are to lay down our instruments of destruction, both nationally and internationally. Our invitation is to be peacemakers, committed to loving all of creation with abandon and effort. May we be the presence of love wherever we find ourselves, and may we have the courage to risk that love.