Shema

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Shema

Moses     Jesus

Continuing     Enjoining     Fulfilling

Fidelity To The Covenant

Love

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Deuteronomy 6:2 to 6

Moses spoke to the people and said: "Respect the Lord, your God, and hold fast, in all the days of your lives, all his laws and commands which I enjoin on you, and you will have a long life.

"Hear then, Israel, and be sure to follow them, that you may grow and flourish the more, in keeping with the covenant of the Lord, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you this day."

Reflection

In this reading from The Book of Deuteronomy Moses is stressing the importance of the law. When we think of the law, we can have different reactions.

Sometimes we can think of the law as too rigid and we need more understanding with regard to individual circumstances. We can also think of the law as important for keeping order in our society.

What Moses is talking about is the law which can lead to a longer life. The purpose of the law is to help us all have a good life.

The law is not to be seen as a burden or an obstacle for us. It is to assist us to thrive.

God has initiated a covenant with us. God has made a promise. God wants to be part of our lives. God wants to be one with us.

What is the promise? God says that we will be given a "land flowing with milk and honey." 

That land comes to us when we take time to really listen to the voice of God. The Hebrew word shema is translated as "hear". If we want to enter that special land, it is important that we take time in prayer to really understand where God is leading us.

Milk and honey come to us when we truly love God. The law is enjoined on us so that we will take the time to let that special Love of God fill us and transform us. 

This calls for much effort on our part. "All" our heart, "all" our soul, and "all" our strength. The "all" is emphasized so that we know this can not be accomplished without much effort on our part.

Thees words have to be part of our "heart". We have to embrace them completely.

We see the wonderful continuity of this message from Moses to Jesus. This is why any form of anti-Semitism makes no sense. The message is clearly to love and never to hate.

Kathy's picture was taken in Washington D. C. at the Franciscan Shrine of the Holy Land. It reminds us of the importance of respecting all of our faith traditions and living the law of Love each day.

As we do that with all our strength, we enter the land flowing with milk and honey!

1. Why is the law so important?

2. What is the promise God makes personally to you?

3. How do you try to hear (shema) the voice of God?

4. What does Kathy's picture say to you?

(scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)