Friday of the Third Week of Lent

Lectionary: 241

The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.

You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Americans are fond of saying, “There is only one God!” and “All religions are alike.” I shudder whenever I hear either remark since I find little commonality among the religions I have encountered. I doubt that there is even a universally accepted definition for religion. Some religions worship a god, some recognize no god. Some encourage civility and obedience to law; others encourage only individuality and nonconformity. Some claim to appeal to all people; some include only a particular race or nationality. I am reasonably assured Catholics worship the same God because we attend the same Mass throughout the world – that is, of those who attend Mass.

To say there is only one god and all religions are alike demonstrates, at best, serious ignorance of the varieties of human experience. As Hamlet said to his friend, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”  

That being said, today’s gospel points to an essential agreement between Jewish and Christian religions. We agree on the two great commandments; we must love God and our neighbor.

Jesus and his disciples did not set out to create a new religion. Nor did they intend to reform the Jewish religion. Rather, Jesus is the fulfillment of the faith of Abraham and the Law of Moses. Jews and Christians went different ways: Christians welcomed gentiles to worship the Jewish Messiah; while Jews reinforced traditional values. Both religions suffered Roman persecution during that first century, a dilemma complicated by their mutual hostility.

As the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches seek to atone for centuries of anti-Semitic hostility and violence, recognizing that this evil tradition has deep roots in our Christian language and customs, it is good to hear today’s gospel. The scribe has said, “Well said, teacher!” and Jesus has replied, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” If the scribe’s initial question was barbed with contempt, he was surprised and satisfied by the Lord’s reply.

The horror of world wars and genocides in the twentieth century shocked many religious thinkers. The Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, in his book I and Thou, taught that we could find Truth not through hostile debates and mutual recrimination, but through respectful dialogue. No one party owns the truth. Rather, in the encounter with other persons we meet the mystery of truth which no human language can express. 

Even as Buber was describing his insight, Christian theologians resumed their study of the doctrine of the Trinity, after centuries of neglect. It is not enough to say, “It’s a mystery!” and move on to more explainable subjects. The Trinity reveals an “otherness” in God that is not unlike the otherness of Jews and Christians. Our religious reluctance to recognize otherness and to practice dialogue led directly to unspeakable violence.

And so we ponder anew the love of God and of our neighbor, realizing that we know little of either. The Spirit of God assures us that the honor and esteem we give to others – regardless of their race, language, or religious beliefs -- “is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”