Wednesday 04 November 2009

Background

On the face of it the way of Christianity is extremelysimple.

Just love.

So why the need for the millions of words written over thecenturies to try and explain the way? Why the anguish, sweat andsuffering of people trying to follow Jesus, failing again and againto love as they should?

Paul (the writer of the letter to the Romans) says "the one wholoves another has fulfilled the law". On the face of it most of uswould say we love another when we love family, lovers, friends,colleagues…

But what Paul is talking about is something more radical.

There is a foundation to our lives upon which we act and love. Thisfoundation is a constant love, care and attention directed toourselves, even though we are not always conscious of it. After all'I' am the centre of my own life.

The aim of the Christian life is to completely change the directionof this 'background' love: to live wholly with a love that has beencleansed of all self-interest; to live with a love focused entirelyon the 'other' in God and neighbour, sacrificing the self.

It is then that love is freed from subject and object, from 'me'loving 'you'. Lover and loved become one, each love eternallyaffirming the other in unity.

We have to turn to God and let go of our 'selves'; to let God'slove and forgiveness wash over us, wearing away at our innerobstacles, eroding the deep blocks to a love that wants to flowfreely from us and through us.

To do this we need to trust God's promise that if we renounce our'selves' we will find God.

To Ponder

What makes it hard to love unreservedly?

Are there times when you and your needs andinterests come first? Why?