Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel, the beginning of the statement of faith for Judaism, known as the Shema (for the Hebrew word “hear”).  It is the beginning of Christian faith as well, God alone is God, and we are to love God with all our heart, soul and might.  Jesus will later reinforce this with a passage from Leviticus to love your neighbor as yourself stating this dual commandment of love is the most important in the law.

As we begin this season of Lent this week, keep this in mind.  God alone is God; we are to have no other gods before us.  God calls us to love each other and our neighbor. Let us take this special season in the church and make this the center of our Lenten journey.

Peace,

Pastor Bill