25 October 2005

With a selection from Luther's work on Galatians 6:2, we again look at the law of love.

The Law of Christ is the law of love. After redeeming and regenerating and constituting us as His church, Christ did not give us any new law except the law of mutual love [John 13:34): "A new command I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you." To love doe not mean..., to wish one well, but to bear someone else's burden, that is to bear what is burdensome to you and what you would rather not bear. (LW 27, p.113)

After everything is done for that can be done for us...after we have been called and named as the beloved of Christ...after all that ever needs be done for us, we are free to love one another. Not before this...not in order to get something more. Rather, to love is to be exactly who we are in the light of the Christ. We love neighbor by making sure we are a part of the well-being of our neighbor. I find Luther's statement to be quite strong. We don't simply love another by doing things for the other person that are things we like to do. That is wonderful to do such things, but we are neighbors who love when we step in and do what we would rather not do and we do it for the benefit of the other. Sound quite like the way of the cross to me. This reminds me of the movie "Gandhi" in the scene when his wife is not willing to take her turn at cleaning the latrine. It is a job nobody likes to do. And yet, it is a job that must be done for the welfare of everyone. The scene was harsh and yet that kind of "taking up for others" that which we would rather leave to others is not an easy road. Most of the time, we need a mentor or other saints who help to make this Law of Christ - the rule among us.

Connection: Within the routines of our day, there are more opportunities to put to life this law of love than we might imagine. Through prayer, our eyes are often open wide to see them and then by the power of the Holy Spirit, we may even take up the cross and follow Jesus.

Blessed Lord, you shape us by your love and you call us your Beloved. Now by your Spirit, shape us into your love as we walk in the midst of friend and foe, family and stranger. Amen.