The appointed Gospel reading for the Daily Office today comes from Mark, and Jesus gives us a concise summary of the Law:
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the 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, and with 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.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbor as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question. (Mk. 12: 28-34).
Jesus knew his Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament. The summary of the Law comes from Chapter 6 of the Book of Deuteronomy. Any surprise? After all John tells us that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. That concise statement of the Law is a wonderful summary and we need to be reminded of it on a regular basis, and that is one of the reasons why I am fond of Rite I—it reminds us what we are called to do every day of our lives. You and I are called to love God with everything that we have and are, and we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. It is not as easy as it sounds. How many of us can truly say that we love God with our whole being? Not many. Some of us even find it difficult to give God a few hours out of the week. Do we love our neighbors as ourselves? Perhaps the first question should be: “Do we even love ourselves?”
We have far to travel in our journey of living out the summary of the Law.
Let us pray: Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
BISHOP’S COMMITTEE MEETING: this Sunday.
ST. AUGUSTINE’S FEAST DAY: Potluck Dinner and Dancing on Saturday, 27 August at 7 p.m. and Eucharist Rite II on Sunday at 9 a.m. followed by a reception in Sutton Hall. We will also bless backpacks at the end of the service as our students start another school year. There is a sign-up sheet in Sutton Hall for the pot luck dinner. Please sign up to bring a dish to share.
PRAYER MINISTRY
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, and we especially pray for those addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, shut-ins, anyone suffering from depression of anxiety of any kind, those suffering from the extreme heat, all of those who are traveling, those suffering any kind of adversity, for families, and for all those looking for work. "If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” Martin Luther
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the 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, and with 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.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbor as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question. (Mk. 12: 28-34).
Jesus knew his Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament. The summary of the Law comes from Chapter 6 of the Book of Deuteronomy. Any surprise? After all John tells us that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. That concise statement of the Law is a wonderful summary and we need to be reminded of it on a regular basis, and that is one of the reasons why I am fond of Rite I—it reminds us what we are called to do every day of our lives. You and I are called to love God with everything that we have and are, and we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. It is not as easy as it sounds. How many of us can truly say that we love God with our whole being? Not many. Some of us even find it difficult to give God a few hours out of the week. Do we love our neighbors as ourselves? Perhaps the first question should be: “Do we even love ourselves?”
We have far to travel in our journey of living out the summary of the Law.
Let us pray: Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
BISHOP’S COMMITTEE MEETING: this Sunday.
ST. AUGUSTINE’S FEAST DAY: Potluck Dinner and Dancing on Saturday, 27 August at 7 p.m. and Eucharist Rite II on Sunday at 9 a.m. followed by a reception in Sutton Hall. We will also bless backpacks at the end of the service as our students start another school year. There is a sign-up sheet in Sutton Hall for the pot luck dinner. Please sign up to bring a dish to share.
PRAYER MINISTRY
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, and we especially pray for those addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, shut-ins, anyone suffering from depression of anxiety of any kind, those suffering from the extreme heat, all of those who are traveling, those suffering any kind of adversity, for families, and for all those looking for work. "If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” Martin Luther
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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