The Spiritual Waiting Room
Plan
God's Salvation
Commit Commandments Love
Whole Heart Mind Soul
Shema
(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)
Scripture: Mark 12:29 to 31
Jesus said, "The first great commandment is: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone. You shall love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.'
The second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' These are the greatest commandments."
Reflection
How important is it for you to have a plan for your life? Most of us like to set goals for our year, our month, and our week. After we set those goals, we try to come up with a plan to accomplish them.
Many businesses work that way. If you are running a car dealership, you want to sell a certain number of units during the month. Each of the salespersons is tasked with a goal for the month.
What is God's plan for us? Jesus shares it with us as He responds to a question about which of the commandments are the greatest. Jesus knows the Jewish tradition very well and quotes the famous Shema from the sixth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy. Jesus would have started His day and ended His day with this prayer.
The plan that Jesus gives us is a simple one but a very powerful one. We are called to love God with all our strength. This is the way to our salvation.
When we commit to this plan, the Love of God can fill us. With the power of that Love within us, we can then love our neighbor as Jesus urges us.
For this plan to work, we have to commit our "whole" self as Jesus says. We can't give a half-hearted effort. We have to be dedicated to the plan.
Jesus leads us to the Shema and to God's Love.
There is no better plan!
1. What is your plan for life?
2. What are some of the goals you have set to accomplish your plan?
3. What is God's plan for us?
4. How can you make God's plan work in your life?
5. What strikes you as you reflect on Kathy's photo?
(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)
