We Serve Our Neighbors — Your Weekly Reflection from CMMB
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Today’s Gospel skips over Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and much of his interactions with Jewish authorities. If we were to read through those sections we would witness Jesus face test after test, each put forth by the Jewish authorities. We also would have seen the cleansing of the temple. The section we read from today follows these events.
Our reading begins as a Jewish scribe approaches Jesus. The scribe poses a question to Jesus about the Law of Moses. He asks, “Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus responds first with the commandment to love God with all your heart. The second, Jesus explains, is to love your neighbor just as you love yourself. Jesus tells the scribe, “there is no greater commandment than these.”
This moment proves to be a turning point in Jesus’ journey. The scribe, who appears to agree with Jesus, is not testing him. Instead, he questions Jesus with a genuine eagerness to learn from him. Following this interaction, Mark reports no other incidences in which Jewish leaders test Jesus.
This Gospel reveals one of the core elements of our faith beyond our commitment to God—our commitment to our neighbor.
At CMMB, we live this commandment through our commitment to serving the world’s most vulnerable. Distance, borders, and nationality do not determine who is or is not our neighbor. That’s why we develop projects, coordinate a global staff, and send volunteers to serve all over the world. Our only guide is our faith and the great need that exists.
We’re lucky to work with people near and far who live Jesus’ commandment. They’ve dedicated their lives to serving their neighbors, no matter how difficult. One of these individuals is Mulemba, a project officer who coordinates three essential programs in Zambia—each focused on bettering the lives of children.
We will conclude today’s reflection with a few words from Mulemba, a woman whose love for her neighbors is so strong that she has given her voice to the voiceless.
“In Zambia, you find that children are really not given a platform to express themselves, but having interacted with them so often, I felt I could be a voice for them and empower them to speak to things that affect them.” – Mulemba
If you’re interested in learning about Mulemba’s journey to CMMB and her work to serve children and their families, you can do so by clicking HERE.
In grace and peace,
CMMB