WATCHWORD:
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Meditation:
Our Shema
Let us review how all of this started. A baby was born, and eight days later was circumcised and given the name Jesus. He avoided being killed before age 2, wowed the teachers and the Pharisees at age 12, probably during His bar mitzvah. He grew up in a very small town of 150 souls, just a few miles east of the border with Samaria, and learned the carpentry trade from His dad. When He was about 30, He journeyed to the Jordan River to be baptized by His cousin John, and then went on a retreat into the barren desert to experience temptations, the same temptations that seem to plague us.
Shortly after His return to Nazareth, He left for Capernaum, purchased a small plot of land and built His house. Without advertisement or proclamation in the Square, He seemed to draw people to Him because of what He was saying and His friendly and approachable attitude. As He engaged with the people, more and more came to listen to Him. And, so it began.
The people who came to listen to Jesus liked what He was saying, but they missed His brilliance. Even as people listened to Him they were unaware that what He was saying had profound meaning for them. They did not take notes, because it is natural to remember what changed your life.
There is another point to consider: the Shema, spoken by Jews twice each day, every day – “Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” This was the foundation of their faith.
Jesus, in reminding them of the meaning of the Shema, added words and said,: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Little did those gathered to listen to Jesus, understand or even suspect that they were on the verge of actively engaging in Shema, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one.” They listened and they heard what Jesus, the Lord our God, was saying. So, slowly, heart-beat by heart-beat, the words were altering their thinking and lives.
What is our Shema, in this the modern Christian era? I am afraid it might read something like this: “O modern man, think for yourselves, go with your gut. Maximize your bliss. You are the personal center of the universe. There is no other.”
Many of us are blind. We do not hear. We do not listen. We are not quiet. Most assuredly, we rarely talk about our faith with our loved ones. What should be our Shema? Maybe this — “Hear, O modern man, miss everything else in life, but do not miss this: Love God with all you’ve got; heart, soul, mind and strength! The payoff is eternal! Amen.
Prayer of Confession and Commitment:
