Fridays - Spiritual Healing
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
May 19, 2017
The Gospel’s text says the following: "The Pharisees, having heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered, and one of them who was a law maker, came to him to ask this question to try him: Master, which is the greatest commandment of the law?"
Jesus replied: Love ye the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, is the first and greatest commandment. And, here is the second that is similar: love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22). These two sentences together, "Love God above all things and love your neighbor as yourself," sum up the doctrine of Jesus teachings.
In Greek culture, love involves knowing and knowing implies love. In the Judeo-Christian or biblical culture, love does not start from the world or of man, but from God. Founded in divine love, human love will be founded in God, notably through Christ. Love is also defined as, “All the feelings and desires that structure thought to release energy and forces that guide action in the production of good and enable the qualities and growth of the Spirit." Each person, Relative, friend, etc. is our neighbor: Jesus said to, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
The Parable of the Good Samaritan helps us understand "who is our neighbor." From Luke 10:25-37: On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? ”The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Jesus wanted to demonstrate with this parable that charity is the salvation of the soul independent of what religious creed one professes.
We should start with ourselves, each seeking to know ourselves. But is this possible? How? The Ancient Greek, Socrates, said to "know thyself.” Knowledge, at that time, was related to the good, so the more one knew, the least evil they practiced.
Outside of the rights enshrined in the human law, what is the basis of justice based on the natural law? In The Book of Spirits, Christ said: “Want for others what you want for yourselves." Spirits guide us that the "criterion of true justice is to be wanting for others what you want for yourself. As it is not natural to want evil itself, if we take our own personal desire as standard or starting point, we can be sure to never desire for our neighbor to have anything but good."
The practice of love of thy neighbor can be seen in the light of obedience to the teachings of Jesus. In this sense, when we forgive not seven but seventy times seven the offense received, when we serve up the next day to quarrel with our neighbor, when we exercise our patience in the face of harsher difficulties, when we try to give an example, when we respect the freedom of others, we are exercising the love of thy neighbor.
A time dedicated to our Spiritual and Physical balance and harmony. Everyone is welcome. No previous experience with any spiritual teaching is needed. This meeting is recommended as a “Spiritual Support” to help all of us face our challenges and overcome them with balance and wisdom.
We hope to see you soon at
Spiritist Society Towards the Light.
