Loving Relationship or Heavy Hand of Law?

What comes to mind when you hear the word rules? 

Is your initial reaction positive or negative? 

Do rules make you feel happy or sad? 

Do rules give you a sense of freedom or restriction? 

Do rules inspire you or stifle you? 

Both? 

Neither? 

Generally, almost everyone sees the need and value for rules, but they don’t necessarily make us feel happy or free or inspired. St Paul was a leader of the early Christian Sect, the writer of seven letters and an inspirer of a number of other letters attributed to his name found in the Bible. When writing to the members of the Christian community in Galatia, St Paul offers a middle ground about rules and the Law.  

For centuries, the people of God followed the constraints of rules and commandments, known by all as the Law. Every Jewish person was born under the Law, even Jesus himself was born under the Law. But through Jesus an amazing thing happened: the yoke of Law that governed citizens became the rules of a loving parent for a beloved child. Through Jesus, the Law -giver God became Abba— a loving, familiar name for a parent. The rules still apply, not as rigid Laws, but as helpful guidance to allow us all to grow to full maturity as children of God. Sadly many in particular groupings in the Church have returned to the constraints of the law rather than the good news of love and compassion that Jesus bought to us.

Parents are not meant to impose rules to control or limit or constrain their children. They do not impose the same level of restraint on a grown child as they do on an adolescent, or the same expectations on an eight-year-old that they do on an infant. Rules shift and adapt to help the child grow and mature and function capably in the world. Rules truly are given for our own good, and as we evolve in our understanding of what is right and wrong, the need for rules to be enforced by an outside authority lessens. Christ came that we might be in new relationship with God; a relationship bound not by the heavy hand of Law, but by the loving hand of a parent.

St Paul says we are the people of God who are lovingly chosen to be God’s own. In his earthly life, Christ showed us love which enfolds and builds together all other attitudes. A life affected by this love extends the peace of Christ to the whole of the community. Amongst other things, it is a life that shows compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. St Paul suggests to us that home life is to be a special example of Christian love. St Paul challenges us to have an open, loving attitude toward each other. We are to be forgiving and tolerant of one another. (Not easy when families gather at Christmas). As a consequence of all this, we come to know the peace of the Lord. St Paul again reminds us that as a family what we do and say should be done in the name of the Lord and should reflect that love of God.