March 8, 2013

Today’s Readings:  Psalm 81: 8-14, Hosea 14: 1-9, Mark 12: 28-34

Most people seem to have firm opinions on rules. Some people like rules and find comfort in the order to which the rules bring their life. Other people detest rules and feel like rules only serve to bind them. I think that I’m somewhere in the middle. I’m not a black-and-white person, but I like to have some tenets to ground me, which is why today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark is one of my favorites.

In Mark 12: 28-34, a scribe asks Jesus what the most important commandment is. Jesus tells the scribe that the first commandment is, “You shall love the Lord with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Jesus goes on to describe the second commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The scribe seems to be blown away from the truth of Jesus’ statements and acknowledges that these commandments are greater than all of the rituals of the temple for which he is responsible.

I find myself drawing upon Mark’s words often in my home life. My young children, on the one hand, cannot stand the rules set forth by me and my husband, but they love to make up rules for others to follow. One day when I was listening to my 6 year old list all of the rules that his friend would need to abide by on a future play date, I reminded him of his church school lesson on the two greatest commandments. Together, we were actually able to tie most of his very detailed rules back to these two commandments. (Of course, this exercise did not stop him from bringing back the playbook when his friend came over later.)

After meditating on the reading again for this blog, I was reminded that I should stick to these two commandments in my parenting more often. I am sure that many of the rules that I set forth for my children sound just as silly and unimportant to their ears. For the remainder of this Lenten session, I am going to strive to better instill these two commandments in my children by my own example of how I live my life and by giving them a few less rules. I have a feeling our entire family will be better for it.

Nicole McGurin