My daughter got married several years ago. I was VERY panicked over the toast thing that apparently Fathers are supposed to do at these occasions. What was I going to say!? Something wise? Something funny? Well, I decided to do something…safe? I sung. Now some of you may know that I used to sing in choir at church. And the thing you should know about singing in choirs is that the reason we sing in choir is so that no one actually hears US as individuals. We can be covered up by those around us. And that certainly was the case for me. The few times that I sang as a soloist at mass the concept of staying in key became more of a theory and not a hard and fast rule. The amount of sweat that I manufacturer at these occasions can float a boat.
So, why did I ever get the idea that singing for my daughter’s wedding would be a good idea? No, alcohol was not a major factor in my decision. It was actually today’s first reading from Deuteronomy (I struggle not to say Deuteromony…kind of like nuclear and nucular). At the time of my daughter’s wedding she, at least in my view, was struggling with her faith. Did she believe in God? Did she believe in Christ? She actually elected to have a Rabbi do the service for the wedding. We also asked the cantor from the synagogue which we attended to do the music for the wedding. And that’s what triggered the idea to sing.
The cantor, Cindy, does a musical version of a prayer called the V’ahavta which is based on the first reading. The author of the song is Julie Silver and I suggest you take a break from my reflection to take a listen. The first part of today’s reading is the Shema (which means “hear” in Hebrew). The Shema translates as “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!” It is the beginning of the reading from Deuteronomy and sets the stage for the remainder of the passage which gives us the step by step instructions of what we are to do next. Take a listen. The beginning of the song is a short Hebrew version of the V’ahavta then the remainder is in English:
Now you are to understand that my version of this song at the wedding did not even come close to the version by Julie Silver. In fact, my brother-in-law commented when I finished singing that a certain part of my anatomy had to be made of steel to have the guts to do what I just did.
But this song and, more importantly, this reading was what I needed to say to my daughter about how she needed to live her life. She was leaving us and needed to know what was the most important thing she needed to focus on. And how did I know this was the most important thing? Because this is what Jesus told us to do.
35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40)
Jesus was quoting the V’ahavta. It means “and you shall love”. It means we must love God above all things. What is love? Well that question has generated a nice income for song writers and poets through the ages. But the love that is referred to here is the principle that nothing comes before the object of that love. We hope that this object of love is a person or a being. But some mistakenly make the object of their love a thing, a material possession or an activity. Then the reading from Deuteronomy goes on to say:
Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Nothing, nothing, should come before this. And not only for you but also for those that come after you:
Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.
Drill them into your children.
Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.
We are also supposed to surround ourselves with these words to love the Lord, your God:
Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.
Many Orthodox Jews take this literally by securing little boxes containing these words on their wrists and on their foreheads. We have a mezuzah (little box containing the commandments) on the entryway into our home.
But why does God demand that we love Him. Is He some sort of narcissist? He cannot exist without people constantly telling Him that they love Him? I think not. It is about order and priority. Knowing that without the guideposts that our God has to offer, we will forever be lost on the road of relativism rather than the road to eternity. Matthew makes that clear:
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31-34)
We live in a world where absolute truth does not believe to exist. Where all things are relative. Where there is no rudder steering us to calmer seas. Let us instead stand with the crowd at the foot of Sinai listening to Moses giving us the roadmap given to him by God. May we not be sidetracked by the distractions of the world but stay on course to ultimately find the narrow gate that leads us home.
