Knowing and Loving

 

It seems that we’ve increasingly been sucked into an “us” vs. “them” state with no middle ground.  So many people act as if anyone who disagrees deserves to be villainized, demeaned, ridiculed, accused, and cut off.  Even scientists receive threats, sometimes against their lives, when objective facts they present are inconvenient or not in tune with already-determined beliefs.  There’s no reaching across, reaching down, reaching out and bringing in.

This is the absolute antithesis of what Jesus taught.  It’s more centered on protecting individual or group power than on living the Gospel and working toward the common good of all.  It’s anti-Christian, anti-Catholic, and above all sinful.

We must examine ourselves for ways in which we contribute to the very things we decry.  And then we must start the desired change with ourselves, deciding what we can do to work toward a better end goal in our own life while encouraging that change in others.

God knows us intimately beyond our comprehension.  This knowing shows God’s love for us and calls us to respond in kind.  Paul warns the Corinthians that knowledge can lead to arrogance and callous indifference to people who are weaker in their faith (1 Corinthians 8:1-13).  Knowledge that frees me from considering the need to build up others hardly deserves the name “knowledge.”  In this case, knowledge was working against love, instead of with it.  Knowledge of the past experiences of others in Corinth with idol worship could instead have been used to help the Christians consider their actions more carefully.  Similarly, learning about other cultures today can help us to understand better how to be more loving in our workplaces, community, nation, and world – if the focus remains on building up others.

Love requires restricting our freedom in order to avoid actions that may hamper others’ development (Corinthians).  Knowing how to do this requires learning about those who see your actions.  Knowing and loving go hand in hand.  Jesus tells us how much farther love must go (Luke 6:27-38).  Jesus knows us well and knows that we may get inflated with pride when we consider how well we love our families and those who treat us well.  He challenges us to see that living the love commandment means so much more.  It’s a hard teaching, to love your enemies.  But Jesus goes even further!  We’re to love our enemies and do good to them.  I’d rather stay away from my enemies and “love” them from afar!  Doing good to them will require that we get to know them.

The words of Jesus at the beginning of the dialogue in Luke stand out as a call to us today.  Jesus directs the entire dialogue on love to “you who hear.”  Jesus knows how easy it is for us to simply not hear.  I want to be one who hears and who loves.  There’s a Psalm that offers wonderful words for asking the Spirit to show us the ways in which we still don’t hear and to guide us back into the way of love more completely.

Probe me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my thoughts;

See if my way is crooked,

And lead me in the way of old. (Psalm 139: 23-24)

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Jesus always went to the heart. That’s why he preached love of enemies, doing good for those who persecute you, refusing to condemn and instead offering peace and understanding.  As he said, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”  (Luke 6:38)