Sunday 29 October 2017
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Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18 (NRSV)
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord. You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
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This sounds so easy. But who are our neighbors, and who are our people, our kin? It is the timeless question of those who wish to be justified in their actions before God in both what is seen as right as well as what is fair or deserved. As of yet I have not looked to see what Gospel this is paired with in the lectionary. I am aware though that this is from the thematic track of readings that reflect the theme of the Gospel. And so what is going through my mind is that moment when Jesus is asked: "But who is my neighbor?" Jesus shows that even the Samaritans are the neighbors of the Jews. Thus even our enemies are our neighbor, our people and kin. And thus when God tells us to love others and not take advantage of them or treat them harshly, God is referring even to our enemies. We don't have the option of justifying ourselves and choosing for whom this Word from God applies. That right is always exclusively that of God alone.
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Fr. Timothy Alleman
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