Where there is love

 "All you need is love".  It may sound cliché and an oversimplification, but that is what he said.  When asked about the commandments, Jesus named two.  The first one is very typically the response of an orthodox Jewish Rabbi.  He quotes the Shema from Deuteronomy 6; Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  But, then he quotes Leviticus 19, 'Love your neighbor as yourself."  The first one seems easier.  Pray, worship, trust that God is God.  The second one seems more daunting if you think about it.
  Together, he said, these summarize all the law and the prophets.  Wanna know what God intends for us?  Love God and your neighbor as yourself.  Simple right?
What if your neighbor is a single mom, about to be evicted, with no job, no family support, no money, and no place to go?  What if she comes to you for help?
What if your neighbor is a "snowflake" liberal or a Trump Republican?  What if he's a racist?  What if she's a Lesbian?  What If he's an abusive alcoholic?  What if your neighbor is mentally ill, with guns in the house?  What if your neighbor is Muslim?
What if your neighbor needs more than you are capable of giving her?  What if your neighbor is unfriendly, angry, mean, or rude?
In Mark 12, Jesus is addressing his opponents.  First, lets acknowledge this.  For all the good Jesus did--healing, feeding, confronting the demons, welcoming outcasts---he was not universally loved and adored.  His actions and words threatened the status quo, the leaders, who benefited from a certain level of privilege and status.  So, if your church's actions and words do not present a problem or a challenge to those who benefit from the way things currently are you might wonder if they're actually following Jesus.  
For example, Jesus begins with a parable.  It is evident that he is talking about the religious leaders.  He doesn't win them over by suggesting that they are like evil tenants, who have claimed possession of something that is not theirs.  Namely, God's vineyard---Israel itself! He suggests that Israel is not their possession.  It belongs to God, not to them.  And God intends for the vineyard to be fruitful, to benefit others. H expects the tenants to share.  Israel exists to serve and bless the world.  But they (the religious leaders) were treating Israel like a treasure they have been given for themselves.  If your church's building and property are too precious to give to those in the community who need it, you might consider Jesus' parable of the tenants. We are made to share.
On the question of whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus says "Give to God what is Gods and Caesar what is Caesars."  Some religious leaders suggested that you could not be a righteous Jew and pay Caesar's tax.  Jesus did not give them permission to pay the tax.  He reframed the question entirely.  What belongs to Caesar that does not also belong to God?  Is Caesar a god?  Is it a matter of competition?  NO.  We must learn to operate in the world, in order to win the world.  How?  It is possible to be a citizen of Rome and a member of the church.  They are not mutually exclusive. And we dare not confuse the two either.  Either/or and black or white choices rarely consider the whole matter of a thing.  Don't get hung up in this or that.  Its more often both/and.  Two seemingly contradictory things held in tension.  Like I am a sinner and a saint. We are made to embrace paradox.
Jesus goes on to suggest that in the resurrection, there will be no marriage.  Why does this matter?  He claims that men and women will be equals on the day of the Lord.  The kingdom of God does not treat women like second class humans.  Women are not possessions to be passed down or inherited.  Women are co-heirs of the Kingdom of God.  Men are not greater than women.  In one thought, Jesus elevates the status of women.  All will be like angels in heaven in the resurrection.  We, men and women, are made to be equal partners.
And by the way, God is all about life and living things and being alive. How do we know?  God only talks to living people.  And through them, to us.  Therefore, though things living die.  God can make dead things alive again, and in fact insists on it.  Watch the end of Jesus' story.  We are made to live.      
 Finally, Jesus identifies the richest person in the temple. A poor widow with one mite.  (Like a nickel).  She gives 100% to the temple offering.  Therefore she is the most generous person there.  Wealth is not what makes a person rich.  Generosity makes one rich.  She embodies faith, a full and complete trust in God for her life.  We contribute out of our abuundance.  She gave all that she had.  Jesus acknowledges, also , that the poorest among us also have gifts and a desire to give.  Its called human dignity.  
Jesus asks us to give all that we have, to hold on loosely to possessions, lest they possess us.   He teaches us to avoid petty, speculative, religious arguments.  He teaches us to question either/or, black or white kinds of choices. Jesus wants us to have hope.  Life is stronger than death.  What does love look and sound like?  Generosity.  Equality. Community-sharing. Dignity.  Look for a church that practices and proclaims these things.  You'll find love there. And where there is love, God is.
 
  

Mark 12

Then he began to speak to them in parables. ‘A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watch-tower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. ²When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. ³But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. ⁵Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. ⁶He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” ⁷But those tenants said to one another, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” ⁸So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰Have you not read this scripture:
“The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone;^*
11 this was the Lord’s doing,
   and it is amazing in our eyes”?’
12 When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.

The Question about Paying Taxes

13 Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. ¹⁴And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? ¹⁵Should we pay them, or should we not?’ But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, ‘Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.’ ¹⁶And they brought one. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ ¹⁷Jesus said to them, ‘Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were utterly amazed at him.

The Question about the Resurrection

18 Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, saying, ¹⁹‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man^* shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. ²⁰There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children; ²¹and the second married her and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; ²²none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. ²³In the resurrection^* whose wife will she be? For the seven had married her.’
24 Jesus said to them, ‘Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? ²⁵For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? ²⁷He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.’

The First Commandment

28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ ²⁹Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; ³⁰you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” ³¹The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ ³²Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; ³³and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbour as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ ³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.

The Question about David’s Son

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Messiah^* is the son of David? ³⁶David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared,
“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand,
   until I put your enemies under your feet.’ ”
³⁷David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?’ And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

Jesus Denounces the Scribes

38 As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, ³⁹and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! ⁴⁰They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’

The Widow’s Offering

41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴²A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. ⁴³Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. ⁴⁴For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’

Reflection: How would you describe Jesus in this chapter?
How would you describe his listeners?  His opponents?
What does Jesus teach about money and property?