JUST ONE COMMANDMENT

 

The title of my homily is, “Just One Commandment.”

Last week I had a short homily entitled, “Just One Thing.”

If you could take one thing with you into heaven, after you die, what would it be? Just one thing….

Today’s first reading from Exodus has a list of commandments. If you were asked to state what you think would be your number one or main commandment, what would it be? [Cf. Exodus 20: 1-17]

I was at Shake Shack the other day and the manager was serving us. While waiting for our chocolate shakes I asked him, “What would be his # 1 commandment for managers?”

Without a moment’s hesitation he said, “Take good care of your workers.”

My number 1 commandment would be Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfil the Law of Christ.”

I think I learned this from my nephew Michael who died at the age of 15.

I’d be sitting on the stoop. He’d be out there on the street playing stick ball with his buddies. He’d see an old lady coming down the street on the sidewalk – pulling her wire wagon – with groceries.

Michael would yell, “Time out!”

He’d run over - take the ladies wagon and walk her and her wagon to her house – pull the wagon up the first 3 steps – across the front cement small plaza and up the 7 steps to her door. He’d wait for her to open her front door and wheel the wagon to her kitchen. In a few minutes he’d be running back to the street and screaming, “Play ball.”

He was helping her carry her burdens.

Great commandment – if you just want one.