“Hear, O Israel!  The Lord our God is Lord alone!”  This single sentence is the creed of Judaism.  It comes from Deuteronomy 6:4.  It is also the beginning of the Shema prayer.  Shema comes from the Hebrew imperative of the verb to hear, which is the first word of Dt. 6:4.  It is also the verse that begins every synagogue service.  It is a declaration that God is the only God, which is the foundation of Jewish monotheism.

Deuteronomy 6 also states that the Shema prayer be worn in phylacteries, or little boxes, on wrists and foreheads.  The Shema is also contained in a small box called a Mezuzah, which was - and still is - affixed to the doors of a Jewish household as well as the doors to synagogues.  As a Jewish believer touches the small box on the door, they are reminded that God is with them in their going out and coming in.  Every devout Jew would agree with Jesus that this is the first commandment.   

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” is a quotation from Leviticus 19:18.  “Your neighbor,” in the original meaning from Leviticus, applied only to people of the Jewish faith.  Jesus expands the meaning to include all people.  While in ancient times, it would be permissible to hate a non-believing Gentile, Jesus takes the old law and gives it new meaning.  Christians are called to love without any limiting boundaries.  

Another new thing that Jesus did was put these two commandments together.  True religion for Jesus was to love God and love humanity.  And loving humanity is not a misty platitude; it is to be lived out in humble service to the people we meet everyday.  The only way we can prove that we love God is by loving the people around us.  

Jesus’ new teaching is clearly evident in the Good Samaritan parable.  The levite and the priest pass by the wounded stranger on the road because they prioritized ritual worship over compassion.  Both men were in a hurry to perform their duties in the temple.  When the scribe in today’s Gospel understands the connection between these commandments correctly, he is complimented by Jesus.  The scribe has discerned that to love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength leads directly into service of our brothers and sisters.  



Perhaps two quotes from Mother Teresa can best sum up Jesus’ teaching on the Shema: 1) “Prayer in action is love, love in action is service.”  And, 2) “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”  

Blessings,

Fr. Kevin MacDonald, C.Ss.R.