The Two Greatest Commandments

Homily for Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Six hundred and thirteen, that is how many commandments appear in the Torah. Six hundred do’s and don’t’s. As children we were all taught the Ten Commandments and were expected to be able to recite them when asked. Imagine, for a moment, if we had been expected to memorize all six hundred and thirteen. And yet, that is exactly what a student of the Torah was expected to do.

The debate about the greatest commandment was familiar to every Jewish rabbi. Various answers had been given as more and more rabbis participated in the debate. Unlike other questions that had been asked of Jesus, this question was not a trap but an invitation to participate in the debate. Jesus answered the question by synthesizing information that appears in both the Book of Exodus and the Book of Leviticus. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” And “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The scribe commended Jesus for his answer and affirmed that he too believed this to be the answer to the debate about the greatest commandment. Jesus then affirmed that the scribe was not far from the kingdom of God.

So often we also reduce moral theology to a series of things that one must do as well, as a series of things that one must avoid. However, when we remember the covenant that God made with Moses and the children of Israel, it is obvious that love becomes the foundation for all of the other commandments. As St. Augustine put it, “love and do what you will.” The motivation and inspiration of love carry us through every situation. In one sense the commandment to love God does not require us to do anything specific, yet reflection and prayer will eventually suggest to us that it requires everything. So often, perhaps regularly, problem of our morality is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of motivation to live in a manner consistent with our relationship with God. A loving relationship with God, nourished by reflection and prayer, is probably more effective for ethical living then repeated do’s and don’t’s.