Nowhere in that commandment did God tell me to love myself first. First God, then my neighbour. That is it.
When my children feel a little neglected they tends to need a little extra reassurance. This means that they might be a bit more clingy and need a little more security by staying closer to their mother. Sometimes this can present as something different than coming close. Sometimes it can present as my children moving away from me. And this can look like them seeking space from me, when in fact they are desperately trying to stay close to me and using this space that they create as a way to “test” me to see if I really do love them and really do want to keep them close.
I have been thinking about this today because Christ tells us that after loving our God we must love our neighbour and that this is the MOST important commandment…
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.’” (Mark 12:28b-34).
I have been reflecting on my neighbour and thinking about who my neighbour really is. My neighbour is not just a person who lives beside me or in my home, but my neighbour is my friend and my enemy too. My neighbour is someone who is able to move forward and potentially get in my way. It can be the person at the intersection of a busy road who deliberately blocks my way so that I cannot drive my car into the street. It can be the person who posts rude things about me when they are alone at their desk, a so called, “keyboard warrior”. It can be the child at school who offended me, or the sibling who drives me a little crazy. It can be the person who I love most in the world and the person who I wish I never had to see again. My neighbour is someone who treats me well and someone who treats me badly.
This is my neighbour. And I have been thinking about that today. Saint Josemaria said, “Don't make negative criticism: if you can't praise, say nothing.” (St Josemaria)
And I have been thinking about that today. And it seems to me that the more time I spend thinking about myself, the less I spend thinking about my neighbour. And nowhere in that commandment did God tell me to love myself first. First God, then my neighbour. That is it.
And that is a lot for me to take in today. An awful lot…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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