RBWords

     Once in awhile in the gospels a scribe or Pharisee will say the right thing!  When one has 613 precepts to live up to, it is natural to wonder if some are more important than others!  This scribe shows his agreement with Jesus' answer to the question about which precepts are the most important.  We have to remember that Jesus would appear only as another "Teacher," to this scribe, but by calling Jesus "Teacher" he is showing the beginnings of faith in what Jesus is emphasizing:  love of God and neighbor.  That earns him the wonderful reply: "You are not far from the Kingdom of God."

 

     Can Jesus say the same of us?  We might protest that we love God and neighbor but do we "narrow" the definition of neighbor like the lawyer in Luke's gospel?  There Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan as a reply to the question: "Who is my neighbor?" [Luke 10:29-37]  There compassion trumps ethnic and religious prejudice and earns the lawyer the command:  "Go and do likewise!"  Lent is a good time to examine our conscience and ask about our response of compassion to the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned, immigrant, homeless, etc. in our midst.  In addition to reading the parable of the Good Samaritan, we might add Matthew 25:31-45 where a good list of what the Lord expects may be found.  That should help us figure out how close we are to the Kingdom of God!  AMEN