Prayers of the People: Whole Hearted And Beyond... ~ 23rd Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, October 31, 2021; Readings: Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Psalm 119:1-8, Hebrews 9:11-14, Mark 12:28-34

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. [Deuteronomy 6:4-6]

Happy are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord…Oh, that my ways were made so direct that I might keep your statutes. [Psalm 119:1, 5]

 When Christ came as a high priest…he entered once for all into the Holy Place…obtaining eternal redemption…how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! [Hebrews 9:11a, 12a,c; 14]

 One of the scribes…asked [Jesus], “Which commandment is first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” [Mark 12:28-31]

     We have interesting parallels between the first reading from Deuteronomy and the Gospel of Mark. Jewish scholars have always debated which is the greatest of the 613 commandments that were given by God. Just as the Sadducees were questioning Jesus. In both instances the Shema [shuh-mah] wins although Jesus adds an extra piece.

     The Shema is Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. Shema comes from the Hebrew verb for hear. It is one of only two prayers that are required to be said morning and evening, and it is used at times of crisis or the hour of death by observant Jews. It is not unlike our Christian use of the Lord's Prayer, though we are not, strictly speaking, required to pray it. But the Shema specifically states the Lord alone. One God. We children of Abraham are to acknowledge no other God. The next part of the Shema given in this text says, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

      Jesus, being questioned, offers the same Shema and adds in the way to love God is with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The addition of all your mind is to fully impress upon them and us that we are to love God with our entire being. For the Hebrew Bible, the heart is the center of thought rather than emotion. And then he says that there is a second that is also right up there with the first. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. That comes out of Leviticus 19:18. Taken together this is truly the whole heart of all Divine instruction.

       Of course there is much debate about who is my neighbor? The answer is inconvenient. Jesus responds to that in Luke with the parable of the Good Samaritan. Another piece is loving another as you love yourself ~ it's not meant as emotional love and clearly if I'm having difficulty with self-respect or low self-esteem, that isn't going to work with another. We are to consider ourselves and all others as who we all are, that is, Children of God, and in that way we won't cheat or kill or steal or take unfair advantage. Yes, that means those we don't like, think are bad, or otherwise unworthy. We are to live by the law of God's love, whole hearted, and with everything else we have. 

       A little girl named Nikka sums ALL of this up quite neatly. At 6, she was part of a survey of children who were asked to define love. Nikka said: If you want to learn to love better, start with a friend you hate. Amen.

      

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord, our Only God, direct our ways to walk in Yours, to love and serve You with all our hearts, our souls, our minds, and our strength. Lead us toward our purification through the selflessness of Christ, to share this great love with everyone, especially with those we deem difficult or unworthy. Guide us to live as You intended and learn to pray with more fervor for others than for ourselves.

                                                                           Living Eternal God

                                             RESPONSE:       We give ourselves to You            

~ O Lord, our Only God, search the faithfulness of us all, especially those who lead in Governments, globally and locally. Keep us from the shame of ego-, greed-, and power- needs that obstruct the tranquility of all the Earth, and guide us to follow Your Will through Your Commandments. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                                           Living Eternal God
                                                                           We give ourselves to You

~ O Lord, our Only God, lay Your healing hand upon those weary of the pain, anguish, or fears of this life, and hold fast to those who offer caring help. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                                           Living Eternal God

                                                                           We give ourselves to You      

~ O Lord, our Only God, lighten the darkness for those who grieve, as our loved ones enter into the Holy Place, to the splendor and glory of new life in Christ. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                                           Living Eternal God

                                                                           We give ourselves to You

~ O Lord, our Only God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                                           Living Eternal God

                                                                           We give ourselves to You                   

~ O Lord, our Only God, bestow courage and confidence, in these trying times, upon those anointed to call us to Your Holy Table, for the renewal of our faith and the continuing commitment to Your service, for all the days of our life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                                           Living Eternal God

                                                                           We give ourselves to You

The Celebrant adds: Creator and Lord of All that Is, teach us to keep Your Words in our hearts and recite them each day to embody Your Presence within us. Grant us the grace to be as the instruments of Your great love for all we meet, walking together toward eternal redemption by our inheritance from Christ. We ask through Jesus, our great High Priest; and the Holy Spirit, the Breath of Your Wisdom; who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

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