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34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”“The son of David,” they replied. 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:34-46 NIV Bible)
As I approached a small church of mine in the country, I parked my car, gathered my stuff and as I was closing the door of the car, I saw that across the street a little girl was staring at me. I got it right away. She and I were the same color, and perhaps she had not seen anyone like us going into that church. I went in and greeted the folks gathered for our charge conference and I asked if anyone knew the name of the little girl across the street. Sadly, no one did and some acted like how would we know her, she's not one of our church members. The church, like many, knew and sought to affirm the "greatest commandment," but did poorly on the "second" commandment.
In their almost daily task of Let's stump Jesus so we can get rid of Him task, the Pharisees, hoping to one up the Sadducees, and so they chose their expert in the law to pose a question to Jesus. "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Maybe not a Sunday or Sabbath school question, but one that most Jews should know, and Jesus did and He says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Jesus then adds, "And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Wait. What? Yes, Jesus says that love, if we center it on God, we should also center it on others, especially our neighbors. Jesus had already addressed the neighbor question by sharing the Good Samaritan parable, of our neighbor being anyone in need, even if they were of a different tribe or nation or race or religion. At our family reunion this past weekend, being the sole clergy and of a different persuasion of all, I get asked a lot of questions, and Saturday was no exception; how is our baptism different from a Catholic baptism? I answered knowing the real question was could I do a baptism for a family member? I answered my question by saying both churches baptize in the Name of the Triune God, i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; but to remain faithful and true to the Catholic Church it might be best to get a priest to explain baptism and actually baptize family members, regardless of age or perceived tardiness to do so. I stressed that all baptisms are done by God and just as importantly is our desire to live as faithful and as loving as we can with God and raise our children with the knowledge of God being central to who we are. We can ask, are we loving God the way we should, and our family members in the same way? And, our neighbors like that too? There is no excuse for not loving all people.
The discussion shifts as Jesus now does the questioning. "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" Good question, and one that learned men of the Pharisees should be able and eager to answer. They knew the correct answer, "The son of David." Okay, Jesus says, but explain this: Why then does David calls the Messiah, 'Lord'? Again, a great question, but Jesus further says, "Explain how it is that David is saying to 'my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."' "If then David calls Him, 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" The Bible says this really silenced the Pharisees for good. Jesus had asked an unanswerable question. Jesus is posing the question to those who enjoyed their power and authority and squashes them by asking a question of power and authority. David, long revered as the number one king of Israel, how could he call the coming Messiah, Lord, if the Messiah is his "son." This refers to the Messiah being long-expected heir of David's lineage. Could the great, great, great, great-grandchild be "Lord" to his great-grandfather? The answer we know is yes, but for those who easily felt threatened by so many, it was hard for them to say "Lord" to someone born to them; how dare they be Lord if we are their father? We know that in the grand scheme of things, David would willingly bow down and worship the Son of God and would not balk at that, for great is He who is the Son who came to save the world. David, and me, and you, would line up to worship He Who takes away the sins of the world.
Friends, the line has already started of those who seek to be forgiven by Jesus and who desire to be made right with God through the influence and power of the Lord. Let us surrender all thoughts of authority and power to Him only who can grant that to us. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is my Lord. Jesus is your Lord. Amen.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Help us to love You with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. May these commandments guide our daily actions and inspire us to be agents of love and grace in this world. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Line up and gather others to join you in this line!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
Fun Fact, thanks to my bride:
When was the first name Eradio first recorded in the United States?
The oldest recorded birth by the Social Security Administration for the name Eradio is Thursday, March 17th, 1910.
