Treat others as you would like them to treat you

 Photo:  St Columbans

This statement – treat others as you would like them to treat you - from Matthew 7:12 is found in today’s gospel. It is usually called “the golden rule”, a term that is said to have originated in the Anglican church back in the 18th century. It is included among a number of sayings from 13 faith traditions as part of a permanent display, since January 2002, at the headquarters of the United Nations. The saying from Judaism is taken from the Talmud, shabat 31a, which says, “That which is hateful to you do not do to another; that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study.”

 

This may have been the origins of Jesus’ statement or he may have re-interpreted another statement from Leviticus 19:18 which says, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.” However, Jesus broadened the scope of his saying to include all. The equivalent saying from Islam is taken from 40 Hadith 13 which says, “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” All of this brings me back to the first reading from 2 Kings about how the Lord protected Jerusalem from Sennacherib, King of the Assyrians, and his all-conquering army. Because 185,000 men of the Assyrian army were struck down by some mysterious disease, Sennacherib struck camp and returned to Assyria and Jerusalem was saved from being attacked and destroyed.

 

It is sad to see how war continues to rage throughout that part of the world in our own day and age. And for all the efforts of the many faith traditions around the world and throughout the history of humanity to encourage their followers to “treat others as they would want others to treat them”, we still fail to listen and learn. There is a fundamental truth we all share which centres on the value of human life. Let us continue to pray for our world, to pray for peace in our world, to pray that we can strive more earnestly to live up to “the golden rule”.