28 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?”29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 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.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:12-31
Fifteen years ago at the end of a retreat I was invited to write a note to myself. My note said simply, “Let love be.” I had no idea what it meant. I recently reflected on the picture and Scripture shown above. I wondered, how does a commandment of the law to love God, self and neighbor go from head to heart; from lofty ideal to humble flesh? And then I remembered recently sitting face to face with my 11 month old granddaughter. Delighted at her sweet, searching gaze, part of me was thinking, “Don’t you see what time, gravity, and being human has done to this face – – doesn’t it make you want to look away?” Gratefully, in an instant I was lost in an eternal moment; defenses down; captured by surprising, irresistible innocent love. And then I remembered that note to myself so long ago, “Let love be.”
(c) Jeanene McIntyre
