The Greatest Commandment

There is an interesting story in the Jewish tradition about two rabbis and a Gentile. The Gentile asks the two rabbis to be taught the entire Torah - one of them gets angry, and the second replies, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to another: This is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary.” We see this as the Golden Rule, but it is also connected to the Greatest Commandment. Maybe we could see it as “Love as you would want to be loved.”

The Jewish Rabbis had counted 613 Commandments in the Hebrew Bible, and here they ask Jesus - which is the Greatest Commandment? Rabbi Hillel, a contemporary of Jesus, said that all the commandments are summarized in the call to love. To love someone with our whole being is not an easy thing to do. It is hard enough to love as it is, so try to imagine loving someone with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole strength! Sounds like “true love,” right? Well, that’s the kind of relationship God wants for us - for you, for me, for everyone.

Much like Michaelangelo’s painting, God is reaching out toward us - but are we reaching back? God is always there, already waiting for us. As one saint said, “God is closer to us than we are to ourselves.” If that’s the case, then all we need to do is be open to that love, and be willing to show and share that love with each other. That’s really easy for me to say, writing this, but it’s another thing to go out and do that, in our homes, in our work, or “out there.” I know I need help with that.

And yet, although it is the most important thing, one of the most challenging things for us as is also the greatest commandment. Let’s go out and try to love each other as we would want to be loved - the rest is commentary.