Week 41 Daily Dose of Love
#281 (10/8)
Question about
the Resurrection
Matthew 22:23-33
The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him
a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry
the widow, and raise up children for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us; the first
married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. The second did the same, so also the third,
down to the seventh. Last of all, the woman herself died. In the resurrection, then,
whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.”
Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.
For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And
as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, ‘I am the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.”
And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.
Mark 12:18-27
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came
to him and asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother
dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. There
were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children; and the second married the widow and died, leaving
no children; and the third likewise; none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. In
the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had married her.”
Jesus
said to them, “Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?
For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said
to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of
the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.”
Luke 20:27-40
Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection,
came to him and asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife
but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven
brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven
died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife
will the woman be? For the seven had married her.”
Jesus said to them, “Those who
belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that
age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die
anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And
the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for
to him all of them are alive.” Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken
well.” For they no longer dared to ask him another question.
Christianity would not exist without resurrection.
Resurrection assures us that love lasts forever. Love is the only thing on earth that does not die
or deteriorate through the forces of nature because love is the origin of nature. All of our ideas, achievements,
concepts, memories, and affects will eventually disappear. Everything that we accumulate, build, strive,
and fight for will someday be a distant memory. Eventually even the memories of what we did will disappear.
The only thing that lasts from our lives on earth is our love. Love is where we came from and what
we die into. Our father in heaven is the God of the living because
he is the God of love. We join him to the extent that our life joins with his love.
Reflection/Discussion:
What misconceptions might we have about
heaven?
Principles of Love:
Learning; Nature
Pray Through the Day:
Open our hearts and minds
To your love and wisdom
#282 (10/9)
Question about
David’s Son
Matthew 22:41-46
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question:
“What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”
He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said to my
Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet” ’? If David thus
calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day
did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
Mark 12:35-37
While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, “How
can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared,
‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’
David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
Luke 20:41-44
Then he said to them, “How can they say that the
Messiah is David’s son? For David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said
to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ David
thus calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?”
Logic tends to function within narrow boundaries. Very few new discoveries,
breakthroughs, or creative solutions are the result of a linear, logical process. We cannot learn
to love through logic. Logic defines and connects details but love transcends the boundaries that contain
those details. Jesus easily undermines the logic of the Pharisees because their thinking does not account
for God’s love for us. God’s love appears illogical
when viewed superficially. Why continue to love people who turn away from you? The answer
is simple, but it transcends the boundaries of self-interest: God loves us because of who he is and what he created us to
be.
Reflection/Discussion:
How might logic limit our relationship
with God?
Principles of Love:
Learning
Pray Through the Day:
Open our hearts and minds
To your love and wisdom
#283 (10/10)
Beware of
Those who Seek Honor
Matthew 23:1-7
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes
and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do,
for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the
shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their
deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of
honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people
call them rabbi.
Mark 12:38-40
As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes,
and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets!
They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Luke 20:45-47
In the hearing of all the people he said to the disciples,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,
and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’
houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Jesus tells us to
“beware” of people who seek honor. Honor elevates and separates us from others.
Seeking and enjoying being honored is an obstacle to love because it puts ego at the center of our focus.
Love requires that we unite with others and requires an inclusive perspective. Seeking honor is a temptation that feels and looks good as it crowds out our capacity to love.
Appearances are extremely important in our culture but Jesus makes it very clear that they mean nothing to him.
He tells us to beware of people who seek to impress others, and to be aware when we begin to fall into that trap ourselves.
Reflection/Discussion:
How can we avoid being trapped by appearances?
Principles of Love:
Humility; Compassion; Learning
Pray Through the Day:
Help us be humble
So we may love
#284
(10/11)
You Are All Students
Matthew 23:8-12
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call
no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called
instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All
who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
We “are all students.”
We are all learning to love. We can never begin to comprehend or experience the full depth, meaning
and implications of God’s love for us. No human being can ever be more than a fellow student and co-learner in love.
To think that any of us is fully qualified to teach others all there is to know about love is an illusion that blocks
our ability to learn more about what love really is.
The only way to really learn about
love is to open our hearts to our creator so his love can flow through us to others.
Reflection/Discussion:
How can we remain open to learning how
God’s love can work through us?
Principles of Love:
Learning; Humility; Opening
Pray Through the Day:
Open our hearts and minds
To your love and wisdom
#285 (10/12)
Woe to Hypocrites
Matthew 23:13-15
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop
them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert,
and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.
Jesus uses very strong language to criticize religious leaders who do not live what
they preach. He implies that following them can undermine our own salvation. The easiest
way to learn to love is to live in an atmosphere of love. Religious leaders who do not foster an atmosphere
of love can create an illusion that can, in Jesus’ words, “lock people out of the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus makes
it clear that worship without love can turn us away from God’s kingdom. This passage challenges us
to maintain contact with God’s love in our own hearts so we can discern whether those we are following are bringing
us closer to rather than further away from God’s love. Reflection/Discussion:
How do our religious practices create an atmosphere of love?
Principles of Love:
Humility; Vision
Pray Through the Day:
Help us be humble
So we may love
#286
(10/13)
Woe To Blind Guides
Matthew 23:16-22
“Woe to you, blind guides,
who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound
by the oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the
gold sacred? And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by
the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.’ How blind you are! For which is greater, the
gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything
on it; and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; and whoever swears by heaven, swears
by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.
There are many beautiful religious symbols and rituals that can help us to acknowledge
and appreciate God’s love for us. But Jesus tells us that we can become blind if we make these things
an end in themselves. If we miss the message of God’s love in our religious observances, we are at risk
for leaving God out of our lives. Reflection/Discussion:
How can we keep the message of God’s love at the center of our religious practice?
Principles of Love:
Vision
Pray Through the Day:
Open our eyes
To deepen our love
#287
(10/14)
Straining Out a Gnat
Matthew 23:23-24
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the
weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the
others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
Focusing intently on highly specific details
of religious practice while ignoring God’s love for all his creation creates a sense of righteousness and holiness that
leads Jesus to say, “Woe to you.”
Intense focus on religious details
can narrow our vision so that we easily miss what is most important in following God’s will. Justice,
mercy, and faith are expressions of love. God can handle a few gnats in our prayer life. Jesus
tells us it is more important to deal with the camels in our world who interfere with our ability to receive and share his
love.
Reflection/Discussion:
Where might there be “gnats”
in our religious practice that keep us from seeing “camels” that block justice, mercy and faith?
Principles of Love:
Vision; Unity; Compassion
Pray Through the Day:
Open our eyes
To deepen our love
