Lenten Reflection

Friday, March 20, 2009

Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
"Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these."
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding,
with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God."
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Reflection
Kelly Albino
Class of 2012

Loving your neighbor as yourself is a commandment easier said than done, especially when you've been thrust together with a complete stranger and expected to coexist, peacefully, even, in the same 220 square feet for an entire school year. Moving in with a roommate is definitely one of the most trying experiences I've had, but everyone does it and everyone gets used to it. The hard part is being Christian about it.

I try hard to let God influence my life and words so that my year will end with my roommate still speaking to me. Instead of screaming at her when I'm in a terrible mood I try to tell her that I'm really stressed out and warn her that if I snap at her, it's not something she's done wrong. Praying for God's wisdom and gentle hand has certainly aided me in this area, not only to prevent minor annoyances from turning into major issues, but also to encourage me to apologize even if I've only slightly overstepped my boundaries.

And, in the end, it's working out, because the nicer and more courteous I am, the more my roommate is encouraged to act the same. Loving your neighbor as yourself is one of the hardest commandments, but for two girls living in just over 200 square feet, it's the only way to get along!