Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 30th August & for the week ahead:    

Scripture: 

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13.8-10. (6.9.26)

Reflection:    

Paul devotes most of his Letter to the Christians in Rome to thoughts about the Law, based on the Commandmentsgiven to Moses, but endlessly expanded and complicated by later scholars to cover every detail of life. Imagine the burden of anxiety, fearing that one might offend, however inadvertently, against any one of these man made Laws. But by showing love to all our fellow human beings, says Paul, we achieve the peaceful and just society which the Law cannot bring about. All we need is to love all our fellow human beings. Simple? Easy? No! But this love is not a feeling. an emotion, but a deliberatecommitment to a compassionate and unselfish way of life, following the teaching and example of Christ.

Revd Rosemary

Jesus said: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you (John 13.35)