YOUR LAW IS MY HEART’S DELIGHT

In the gospel readings of this Sunday and last, Jesus keeps repeating as if begging us to remain in him as he remains in his Father. For he knows that without him, we can do nothing. The fruit of remaining in him, being connected to him, is to bear much fruit of love. 

How do we know that we remain in or are being connected to Jesus? Jesus said the surest sign of us being connected to him, drawing life from him is to believe in him and keep his commandment of love. God is love, when we love, we remain in God. 

Jesus’ commandment of love, unlike the worldly rules, is meant to set us free and raise our human dignity. Above all, it is centred in LOVE. I don’t kill not because the law says so but because I love the person; I don’t steal from others because I respect their property and love them; I don’t slander my neighbours because I love them and respect them ... I love God, not because I fear God, but because I love the God who is love, and when I love I find my true self and fulfilment. 

When I love God and people by observing the commandment, I find my human dignity is raised. When I know I do the right thing, I am filled with confidence and a sense of self- respect. Observing Jesus' commandment of love therefore raises my human dignity too.

Jesus’ commandment of love is not a burden for me to bear, on the contrary, it sets me free from my narrow mindedness to embrace my genuine self that is capable of transcending to the otherness of myself, that is God.  The God who creates me, and in whom I find my true self of love.

There are abundant expressions in the book of psalms that say ‘Your law is my delight’. At the beginning of the book, we find how blessed is “he who finds delight in the law of the Lord, and meditates day and night on his commandments. He is like a tree beside a brook producing its fruit in due seasons and never withering. Everything he does is a success” (Psalm 1:2-3). 

Jesus exhorts his disciples to remain connected with him so as to bear fruit, and he clearly gives concrete guidance for us how achieve that, namely, to keep the commandment of love. Left to our own device, not only we can do nothing but we human beings tend to be self-destructive due to our sinfulness. We are at our own peril without God.

Jesus said he did not come to abolish the law or the Prophets but to complete them (Mat 5:17). Completion or fulfilment can only be found in LOVE.