Friday 16th March, 2012
Hosea 14:2-10. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice—Ps 80(81):6, 8-11, 14, 17. Mark 12:28-34.

  
Meditation: mp3 | podcast
Readings: Text | mp3 | podcast

‘You shall love the Lord your God with your whole strength. You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’

Those of us who are wandering in the uplands of life or, in racing parlance, coming up the strait to the end can remember being taught ‘humility’. This meant regarding oneself almost as an enemy who needed to be put down regularly.

We read biographies of saints who seemed to spend their lives moaning about how wretched and worthless they were in God’s sight so presumably they thought this about everyone else. Their neighbours didn’t stand much of a chance if they loved them like they loved themselves. Now it is acceptable to treat oneself and everyone else with respect, kindness, joy and gratitude. This is loving God in our neighbour.

Lord, we want to be like you. You talked of doing God’s will and loved everyone else in a practical way. Help us to be like you.