The Ten Commandments are
spiritual laws that define holiness or wholeness in Christ. I am quite frankly
tired of vague liberal sermons on love that seem to suggest that law is judgemental
and unloving - and can sometimes be set aside for pastoral reasons. It was an
Epiphany moment for me to realize that Law defines holy love. Not vague
romantic or sexual love but holy love. The Readings help us understand the
importance of holiness in our lives. As Men and Women "of Jesus" we
have died to the unholy things of this world and been reborn into a new
spiritual life of holy sacrificial love, joy and peace.
1.
Holy Love Is Self-sacrificial
In the Gospel Reading
(Mt. 6.38-48) Jesus is defining self-sacrificial holy love as the opposite of
"getting even". This is the opposite of our human sense of justice as
