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Jesus was a rule-breaker.
The Pharisees had more than 900 rules that they were trying to obey and enforce at the time. But Jesus got in trouble with the teachers of the law for healing on the Sabbath, touching unclean lepers, and talking to unmarried women. He never allowed the rules or religious boundaries to restrict his love for another person. For Jesus, only through loving our neighbors do we prepare our hearts to love God. We might even say that the way to God runs through our neighbors - especially those who are vulnerable.
The greatest commandment, Jesus’ prime directive was simple:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus gives us permission to snip the strings we’ve attached to love.
To seek to love without condition, without agenda, without fear, without obligation.
Rev. Dana Allen Walsh
The Pharisees had more than 900 rules that they were trying to obey and enforce at the time. But Jesus got in trouble with the teachers of the law for healing on the Sabbath, touching unclean lepers, and talking to unmarried women. He never allowed the rules or religious boundaries to restrict his love for another person. For Jesus, only through loving our neighbors do we prepare our hearts to love God. We might even say that the way to God runs through our neighbors - especially those who are vulnerable.
The greatest commandment, Jesus’ prime directive was simple:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus gives us permission to snip the strings we’ve attached to love.
To seek to love without condition, without agenda, without fear, without obligation.
Rev. Dana Allen Walsh
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Tibetan Buddhists have personified the insatiable cravings that we all have for more and more as the “hungry ghost.” This character of the “hungry ghost” has an enormous belly and a small throat. It can never consume enough to satisfy its appetite; it is always hungry and as a result, always suffering.
Whether or not we are consciously aware of it, we can spend our days feeding our hungry ghost, who will never be satisfied or nourished. We live like Pac-Man, seeking to put more and more into our mouths, our schedules, our homes.
I invite you to first recognize the hungry ghost that lives within you. We all have one that pushes us to consume more than we need, whether it’s sweets, clothes, food, social media, television, alcohol, etc. I invite you to bring a gentle awareness to the hungry ghost. And then look beyond it. We often mix up our desires, mistaking the literal for the metaphorical. If the hungry ghost tempts you to believe that you are one more online purchase from wholeness, might you pause to consider there’s a deeper peace you desire? When the hungry ghost calls you to polish off the stale Valentine’s candy, maybe there is a different kind of sweetness that you desire? If the hungry ghost tempts you to consume hours on Facebook, might you recognize the desire for deep and meaningful connection?
We can choose to take a break from feeding the hungry ghosts within and look to God to find our true nourishment and satisfaction. Let’s take this journey together.
Rev. Dana Allen Walsh (Lent 2019)