GOVERNED BY LOVE

In one monastery, as the abbess and her nuns began their evening meditation, a cat who lived there made such a noise that it distracted all the nuns. So, the abbess ordered the cat to be tied up every evening during the prayers. Years later, when the abbess died, the cat continued to be tied up during the meditation session. And when the cat eventually died, another cat was brought to the monastery to be tied up. Centuries later, a learned scholar wrote a treatise about the religious significance of tying up a cat for meditation practice.

Have you ever thought of or questioned the things we usually do in our life, or you simply do it since it has always been like that or just because everyone else has been doing it?

There is a practical and logical reason for the things that we do in our communities. We wash our hands before eating a meal to avoid contracting diseases. We clean ourselves after going to a marketplace to remove dirt that we might bring inside our homes. The rules we adopt are meant to protect us and improve our way of life. Behind these rules and practices are logical and practical reasons meant to promote the welfare of the person. Unfortunately, sometimes, we lose track of this practical reason so much so that we keep on doing some unnecessary activities even after the original problems they ought to address had long been gone. In the process, we become slaves of the laws made in the past, putting aside the welfare of the person which should be the foremost concern of these laws and practices.

From 10 commandments, the Jews have created 613 other laws in order to practice the 10 more fervently. With all these laws, they have become slaves more than free men under God's grace. When Christ came, he reduced the 10 commandments rather than increase them. He reduced them to two: Love of God and love of neighbor. Love is the ultimate commandment that promotes the welfare of man who is the most precious creature in the eyes of God, having been created in His own image. Man is not just good, but very good for God (Genesis 1:20 - 2:4).

Is our life governed by this ultimate commandment of love? Or have we overburdened ourselves with practices which, more than promoting our welfare, have reduced us to slaves of laws and practices, the origin and rationale of which is unknown to us? There are only two commandments that will remain relevant anywhere and to anyone: Love of God and love of neighbor. Be governed by love at all time.