Marc 12:28-31
28 Roedd un o'r arbenigwyr yn y Gyfraith yno'n gwrando arnyn nhw'n dadlau. Pan welodd fod Iesu wedi rhoi ateb da iddyn nhw, gofynnodd yntau gwestiwn iddo. “O'r holl orchmynion i gyd, pa un ydy'r pwysica?” gofynnodd.
29 Atebodd Iesu, “Y gorchymyn pwysica ydy hwn: ‘Gwrando Israel! Yr Arglwydd ein Duw ydy'r unig Arglwydd. 30 Rwyt i garu'r Arglwydd dy Dduw â'th holl galon, ac â'th holl enaid, â'th holl feddwl ac â'th holl nerth.’Croes 31 A'r ail ydy: ‘Rwyt i garu dy gymydog fel rwyt ti'n dy garu dy hun.’CroeDoes dim un gorchymyn sy'n bwysicach na'r rhain.”
Mark 12:28-31
28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ 29 Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” 31 The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’
S100 Fear
The biggest, most common fear in the world is not snakes,
spiders, ghosts or goblins. It is the fear of the unknown. Being uncertain of
what is going to happen, what is going on?
It’s what the fear of the dark is, fear in uncertainty.
Fear of the unknown manifested in questions like, Am I doing
things the right way, am I taking the right path, what is going to happen? What
are people thinking about me?
A teacher of the law one day asks Jesus what’s the most
important commandment, his question I think was routed in this fear.
What if I’ve got it wrong? What if I’ve missed one? What if
I’ve chosen the wrong one? His entire adult life was centred round the
commandments and laws, to ask the question of someone else in his order would
seem impossible, surely, he should know, right?
But there are 613+ commandments in the Hebrew Bible and then
all the instructions from the Rabbis, and every Rabbi had their list of which
were the important ones. Which of these important rules are importantist.
Jesus allays the man’s fears. Don’t worry about trying to
keep hundreds of commandments and live in fear of making a mistake or not
knowing if you are near to God’s kingdom. Keep two, Love God with everything
you’ve got and love your neighbour as you love yourself.
The man responds, to love God like that and to love your
neighbour as yourself is greater than anything else I could do.
Jesus told him, you are not far from God’s kingdom, it is
here.
Pocket Prayer
Amazing God, you hold eternity in your hands, you are the
same, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
To you all is illuminated as if bathed in the light of
midday.
For us the world is filled with shadows, fear hiding in the darkness.
The dark shadows are unknown places and yet to be discovered times, the parts
of the path that the light of our own understanding has yet to reach.
In fear of what lies before us, we try and prepare for that
which is unknown. As with the scribes, pharisees and teachers of the law we try
and carry with us everything which we might need. We build up rules and laws,
policies and procedures that we might deal with anything which comes our way.
We fill our lives with money and possessions to cushion ourselves
from the hard times hidden in the dark future.
We create lists and tick boxes to make sure we make all the
right decisions to secure our future and we build barns and storehouses to fill
with resources to aid us when the hard times come.
We keep friends close who tell us what we want to hear,
speaking words of comfort and never addressing our wrongs.
We give to charities, to others, working so hard that there
is nothing left of us by the end of the day as the dark draws in.
We stay away from the darkness of the world in fear that it
will infect us somehow and draw us into that very darkness we fear.
We ask you merciful teacher, loving lord;
“Which of these is the most important? Which will safeguard
us and our future? Which light should we carry to banish the darkness of
uncertainty?”
We receive your blessed words, as calming oil and soothing
fresh water,
“Simply Love God, with everything you’ve got, body, mind and
soul, and love your neighbour as yourself. Love and love again, and when you are
done loving, love some more.”
Fill your lives with love of God and neighbour to cushion
you from hard times and hidden futures.
Create lists of how and who to love, fill your barns and
storehouses only with love to give away.
Keep close those that need your love and accept the loving
challenge of others.
Give, out of love not out of necessity or paying of future
debts.
Walk with the light of love into the darkness to serve with
love our neighbours there.
Loving Lord, you are the light of love which shines in the
darkness of the unknown and the uncertain, teach us we pray, to combat our fear
by giving love.
Amen
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