Commandments of the way, commandments of promise

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Today’s readings

If anyone loves me, he will keep my teaching,
and my Father will love him and we will come to him

You will not oppress and oppress foreigners, for you yourself were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

You will harm no widow or orphan. If you hurt them and they complain to Me, I will hear their complaint, my anger will burn and I will destroy you by the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children orphans.

If you lend money to a poor of my people who live next to you, then will not act like a moneylender to him and make him pay interest.

If you pawn your neighbor’s cloak, should give it back to him before sunset, for it is his only garment and the only covering for his body while he sleeps. And if he complains to Me, I will hear him because I am merciful.

You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind ». This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like him: You will love your neighbor as yourself.

I quoted the prohibitions and orders from today’s readings. Repeatedly “you will not be” from the Book of Exodus (22) is a claim for the fate of a widow, orphan, foreigner, poor man, it is the ordering of the principles of coexistence of the community of the chosen people. Israel has worked out much more rules of cult-liturgical, food and everyday life. The Jewish mitzvah consisted of 613 commandments, 365 of which were prohibitions and 248 orders for every adult Jew. But even among Jews, every good deed was called a mitzvah.

Jesus’ answer to the scribe’s question (Mt 22) was two commandments. Two commandments to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, two commandments of the way and a promise at the same time. Where am I on the path indicated by these two Master’s recommendations?

It’s a question about my honesty, about facing sin, littleness and limitations. I think that in relations with our neighbors, it is relatively easy for us to identify areas where we still need a lot of work on ourselves and grace, my and God’s patience. The clue is clear – to do good to your neighbor and selflessly.

How to love God? For this with all my heart, my soul, my whole mind? Can love be commanded?

Listen, Israel, the Lord is our God – the Lord alone. You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words that I command you today remain in your heart. You will teach them to your sons, you will talk about them when you are at home, when you travel, when you go to sleep and wake up. You will tie them to your hand as a sign. Let them decorate your eyes. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. ” (Deut 6)

Israel received the Law to be the rule of life, to guide their faith and customs. It was not supposed to be something external, it was supposed to penetrate deeply, become an internal experience, the content of thoughts, desires and actions. Obeying the Law, summarized in the Decalogue, was a promise to lead to God’s love …

As long as I treat God’s Law as prohibitions, orders, until I consider them as guidelines, signposts, serving my and community life and salvation, they will not cease to weigh down with their weight. The Law and the Prophets, enlightened by the light of the Gospel, are to be fulfilled in my life as well. I know the commandments. I know the teaching of Jesus. Do I follow His path or do I choose the wilderness?

Every sin that I don’t want to give up will distance me from God. Everyone I recognize that I am looking for a way out makes God my greatest ally.