Your people shall be my people and your God my God
Years ago my wife Anna and I went on a second honeymoon. We came back from our trip with a dog named “Lexi”. She was a cute puppy and who couldn’t fall in love with her. Like all puppies she would get into mischief. I had laid my old study bible on the floor and my sweet little puppy ate the Book of Ruth. It was a good reason to purchase a new Bible and remind myself not to leave things on the floor. In today’s readings we see Ruth as a Moabite daughter-in-law of Naomi who would not leave her mother-in-law.
In this feudal society of the ninth or eighth century BC women, like Ruth, had no power. Their security was through their husbands and fathers and male family members. Unfortunately for Ruth and Naomi all of these men had died. In choosing the unknown out of love for Naomi, she was risking her security but also her life from starvation. They may have been related by marriage but they must have been great friends as well. Ruth had other options but she choose the lot of Naomi. I like to think that Ruth was a great example of one human loving one another despite their differences. The quote, “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.“This is often used in weddings and it did lead to the wedding of Ruth and Boaz which happened later in the book of Ruth. The relationship of love and trust described here is a mirror of our relationship with Jesus.
Just like Ruth and Naomi that relationship is personal. They must have been through a great deal together. Husbands and sons died and starvation was in the land they were living. They survived it together. Together they faced the world and so it is with our love relationship with Jesus.
What does love bring? Jesus says in our Gospel today that “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.
When we lovingly discipline a child or console a neighbor we are loving not only these people but loving God. When we love we are God’s messenger. When we talk to Jesus in those private moments of life we are loving. The love we spread to immigrants, prisoners and the hungry are keeping God’s law and we are acting as God’s messenger just like Ruth. [ Matthew 25:35-46 ].
Sometimes certain family members and I are like oil and water, but it never means that we don’t love each other. Sinners especially are hard to love and I include myself in this group. How can our God be their God and our people their people? Jesus answer today is simple” Keep on Loving!”
God Bless you always
Bob Burford
