Hear O Israel (31st Sunday in Ordinary Time)

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This passage of Scripture is known as the Shema, and contains the central affirmation of Israel’s faith, which is the oneness of God. Three times a day, pious Jews recite the Shema as part of their daily prayers. It reminds them that they are committed to the one God, Yahweh, and are to serve and worship Him alone. Although the Bible refers to many heavenly beings as “gods” (Heb. elohim, e.g. Psalm 8:5, 82:1, 6), these beings are still creations of Yahweh, and thus are contingent upon Him for their existence, and subordinate to His authority. He, on the other hand, is uncreated and contingent upon nothing outside of Himself.

This precept came at a critical moment in Israel’s history, as they were about to enter a land were most of the inhabitants worshipped other deities. These were either lesser spirits attempting to usurp God’s authority, or else mere figments of the peoples’ imaginations. Either way, God’s people are to have nothing to do with them. We see later on in the Old Testament that the temptation to idolatry was a constant one, and God had to continually call His people away from idols and back to Him.

Corollary to this is the command to love God with one’s entire being. Exclusive devotion to Yahweh had to be accomplished not just in words, but in actions. This meant putting Him first before all else, and dedicating every aspect of one’s life to Him. This also meant putting continual reminders of Him everywhere, and teaching His precepts to one’s children, as the rest of the Shema teaches:

Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

This command, although given to the children of Israel, is just as relevant to Christians today. Amid temptations to relativize the faith and put worldly concerns before it, we should remember that in all things, God comes first. Furthermore, we should not only remind ourselves of this, but all those around us, which includes our family, friends, and peers.

J. Luis Dizon