Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength … 'Love your neighbour as you love yourself.' ...  Mark 12:30-31, GNT

 

Mathematics, and particularly algebra, was my nemesis at school. Recently, I found an old school report card from fifty years ago. I should actually keep quiet about it! The marks for algebra were very low, but fortunately, geometry just pulled me through. That is why I at least have an idea how a triangle works, and it seems to be a good metaphor for the relationship between God, myself and other people.

 

A love triangle usually carries a negative connotation, but in the context I intend to use, it provides a clear understanding of the relationship between the three individuals mentioned. As the angles of a triangle are permanently bound to one another, God, myself and my neighbour should also be permanently bound by love. Jesus sums it up perfectly well in the words of our text.

 

If any one of the angles gives way, the other two, and therefore the whole triangle, automatically disintegrates. You can make the sum yourselves. I cannot love God while hating my neighbour. They cancel each other out. The same is true about myself and God. I cannot say I love God, but at the same time, hate myself. And so it is with my relationship with other people, yes, even my enemies, whom I cannot love if I do not love God. Worst of all, how can God love me if I hate my neighbour for any reason at all?

 

Triangles come in a variety of shapes. They are not all in the standard form of an equilateral triangle. Life sometimes distorts even the most perfect shape. Very often, our triangle is pulled into one with two very long sides and one very short side. In such an instance, either God or my neighbour might feel very far from me. Sometimes, I might feel very far removed from myself. Fortunately, if love prevails, our love triangle will always stay together – God’s love will take care of it.

 

Prayer: I thank you, Lord, that I might be part of our triangle of love. Please help me to be faithful to this relationship every day. Amen