“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” Mark 12:34
A little quirk of mine is that I always notice when the clock says 12:34. Why? Cause it's 1-2-3-4. I don't know if this is really that important in the understanding of all the cosmos, but its just another part of who I am. Now take a look at the quote from the Gospel of Mark above... It's from Mark, Chapter 12, verse 34... MK 12:34... 1-2-3-4! Cool, eh? Not only does my eye gravitate to the simple notation of "1-2-3-4", but today this verse reassures me that I'm close to the end of this Lenten journey of mine. I can see the "city lights" on the hill of the distant horizon, and I know that something amazing is in store for little ol' me!
Looking a little closer at the Gospel today, the people ask Jesus the relatively common question, "Which is the greatest commandment?" This question was common because many theological discussions between rabbis, pharisees and the like, would begin with this inquiry so as to help define where the person was coming from, or their way of prioritizing the Law. Jesus' answer simply repeated back a summary of that Law, and the traditional way that all were called to live it. Every good Hebrew (which is at the core of our own Christian existence) should recite the Schema, from Deuteronomy 6: 4-5 every day. This was and still is the "coupe de grace" of Morning Prayers. To speak this prayer each morning is to recognize that "the Lord our God is Lord alone, [and that] you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." (DT 6: 4-5) It's as simple as 1-2-3-4!
Jesus goes on to add a practical importance to living the Law, quoting Leviticus 19:18 saying, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (LV 19:18) Those gathered with Jesus, asking the questions are those who study these things, and Leviticus is the "coupe de grace" of lists when it comes to living the Law. The Law of loving thy neighbor is about as basic as it gets. "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself." (The Golden Rule) Again, it's as simple as 1-2-3-4!
So, if you're living your life simply, like 1-2-3-4, giving God the credit each day for making things wonderful, loving all that He has given, and helping your neighbor on top of that... I'd say you've almost got it figured out!
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