Friday in the Third Week of Lent

I love stories.  In my culture, the Luo's from East Africa, we learn great lessons from the elders and teach others through stories.  I remember my grandfather who, before narrating a story, would gather us around the fireplace, remove his tobacco pipe from his mouth, spit on the ground and call upon the ancestors to witness what he was going to tell us.

He would commend himself to the Spirit of Wisdom and Love.  Though many years have passed and grandpa is long gone, I still remember him calling upon a part of this "self" and blessing it before sharing his wisdom with us, his grandghildren.

Today, Jesus reminds the scribe of his need to love God and of his need to love his  "neighbor as yourself."  That "self" that is the spirit, the goodness, the source of kindness must be shared with others for more blessings.  The "self" that we must treat our neighbors with, is deeper, wise, kind and full of faith.  It is slow to anger.  It is the "self" that makes us great individuals in our society. This is the self where the saints, the ancestors and gods reside.  It is in the "self" where God is and each one of us is born with it!

Today, I choose to make use of myself, and love my neighbor, because with this, Jesus assures me that I am "not far from the kingdom of God."  What about you?