I hope you've put aside a few moments to read and pray over this weekend's scriptures. If not - there's still time...
Links to texts and background materials on them are only a click away!
The gospel is from Matthew and the scene finds Jesus giving us the "two great commandments," the ones that sum up the whole of the Law and the Prophets.
Images from Project Moses
-ConcordPastor
We selected this Gospel for our wedding, in part because of many Jewish friends and relatives in attendance.
ReplyDeleteThese two great commandments are of course the words of the Shema, which is a foundational prayer of Judaism.
It reminds us that we must focus on God and to do so through one another, which is they dynamic of living faith.
And it also reminds us of Jesus' Jewishness, which is important to remember if we are to understand the Judeo portion of our shared Judeo-Christian values.
Here's the full text of the Shema from the Book of Deuteronomy 4:6-9:
ReplyDeleteHear, O Israel!
The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!
Therefore,
you shall love the LORD, your God,
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your strength.
Take to heart these words
which I enjoin on you today.
Drill them into your children.
Speak of them at home and abroad,
whether you are busy or at rest.
Bind them at your wrist as a sign
and let them be as a pendant
on your forehead.
Write them on the doorposts of your houses
and on your gates.
It's important to remember that while we Christians look back to our roots in Judaism and indeed rely on the Jewish scriptures for the majority of our biblical texts, Jews do not have a similar relationship to the Christian faith. Some caution in using the phrase "Judeo-Christian" can be helpful.
awesomr graphics. Just finished getting all the work don...whew I'm beat. It's Miller Time!
ReplyDeleteWere staying over night and be back early tomoorow. See you then, ROB