Obedience as Intelligence

“Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees as the LORD, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy.  Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’  For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him?”  (Deuteronomy 4:5-7)

Is there anyone among us who would not want to be regarded as intelligent?  Of course, there are different gauges by which we measure intelligence.  Some might flaunt a high I.Q. score as proof that they are intelligent.  Others might point to their success in their careers as a sign of intelligence.  Some might look upon being a published author as an indication that they are intelligent, especially if that published work is a scholarly tome.  Many enter into conversations in which they compare “street smarts” to “book smarts.”  There are also those who point to the letters that they append to their names (Ph.D., M.S., M.D., etc.) as proof positive that they are intelligent.

To be sure, each of these measures says something about a person’s intelligence.  However, the Scriptures for today’s literature place before us another way to measure intelligence.

Who among us, however, would point to obedience of God’s Law as a sign of being an intelligent person or group of people?  Yet this is what Moses holds up to the children of Israel as the way they will be known by the other nations on earth as an intelligent people, as a wise people.  Moses states unequivocally that while God’s closeness to the people of Israel is the true motivation for obedience, the high regard of their neighbors will follow because of their obedience to God’s Law.

God’s Law is really very simple.  We are asked to love God and to love our neighbor.  There are 613 commandments in the Hebrew Scriptures.  Jesus numbers himself among those who correctly boil it down to love of God and love of neighbor.  Simply do to others what you would want them to do to you while loving God above all else.

As we continue along the Lenten journey, we are constantly being reminded that this is a time to examine our relationship with God and with our neighbor.  Sin is that which fractures these two relationships, and sin is quite simply disobedience of the God’s Law.

St. Augustine, in his commentary on 1 John 4:4-12 writes: “See what we are insisting upon; that the deeds of men are only discerned by the root of charity. For many things may be done that have a good appearance, and yet proceed not from the root of charity. For thorns also have flowers: some actions truly seem rough, seem savage; howbeit they are done for discipline at the bidding of charity. Once for all, then, a short precept is given you: Love, and do what you will: whether you hold your peace, through love hold your peace; whether you cry out, through love cry out; whether you correct, through love correct; whether you spare, through love do you spare: let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good.”

Indeed, a wonderful Lenten mantra that we could utter throughout the day is just that: Love, and do what you will.

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator