"Remain in my love"

I like the decision of James, the leader of the first Christian Assembly held in Jerusalem, as recorded in today's reading from the Acts of the Apostles (15:7-21). James said, "I rule, then, that instead of making things more difficult for pagans to turn to God, we send a letter telling them to abstain from ..." They didn't have to become Jews. They could remain as they were, Greeks, Romans, Africans, etc. And there were only four things they were forbidden to do, all of which had to do with the worship of idols and unhealthy relationships. It is like what Jesus says in today's gospel reading from John 15:6-11, "If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments." And Jesus laid out only two commandments - "love the Lord your God ... and love your neighbour as yourself." Sadly, ever since these simpler days when the Church was being founded, the Church has been piling one law on top of another and in the process we became more and more Roman. Our present Code of Canon Law is made up of 7 major sections or books that includes 1752 canons or laws. This Code does help when things get messy in terms of church administration. But it doesn't make us better Christians. This comes down to the simple but absolutely vital advice of Jesus, "Remain in my love". Stay with Jesus even when things are not going as well as they should and even when we have struggle believing. Eventually I believe we will understand what Jesus says, "I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete."
 
Tom Rouse
 
 

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