You shall love your neighbor as yourself
Matthew 22:39b

During a community environmental meeting hosted by Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, Professor David Ehrenfeld, from Rutgers University, spoke about the increasing demands for oil and the imminent peaking, followed by decline, in world-wide oil production. He stressed the need for all of us to do our part in easing the changes that will occur as the world moves into the post-petroleum age.

Does this seemingly secular issue relate to my obedience to God and my love for my neighbor?

Jesus was asked (Matthew 22:36-39) "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus answered: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love my neighbor as myself? Now that's a tall order. In this shrinking world all the people in need on the earth seem to be my neighbors. If all these people are my neighbors, then I need to share the earth's resources with all of them. Energy is a critical resource and a major component in food production and almost every other aspect of our modern lives. In the US, we waste more energy than the total usage of many other countries.

What is the second great commandment? "You shall love your neighbor as yourself". Clearly I need to do my part in sharing the earth's resources with my neighbor.

Dear Father in heaven, show me how I can truly love my neighbor as myself and use the treasures of the earth more equitably and wisely. Amen

Contributed by David O.
Sunday August 20, 2006
Liturgical Year B Week 39