A reflection for Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time.
I can make almost anything into a rule. Always pray first thing in the morning. Make sure the house is ready for visitors. Answer messages right away. Some of these routines are good. But then a morning goes badly, the kitchen is a disaster, or someone waits a day for a reply, and I feel as though I have failed.
It is an exhausting way to live. It also makes Psalm 119 difficult to understand. How can the psalmist find freedom in God’s commands when my own rules leave me feeling constrained?
Paul tells the Galatians to stand firm in the freedom Christ has given them. He is writing about a particular argument in their community, but it also makes me think of the obligations I give myself. He says what counts is faith working through love. That gives me a question to consider for the rules I have: Is this helping me love God and other people?
God’s commands can help me in my busy life. Telling the truth frees me from keeping track of what I said to whom. Setting aside time for prayer gives me a chance to be quiet and refreshed. These practices require time, but I value them.
My extra rules can be harder to let go of because they sound so good. I want to do things well. Yet a missed morning prayer need not spoil the day. I can pray at noon. A friend can still feel welcome at my messy table. Someone who truly needs a reply immediately can send a reminder..
Growing in faith means I need to learn which habits help me love and which ones keep me busy worrying. I can thank God for the first kind and ask for the courage to loosen my grip on the rest.
Reflection questions:
- Which rule have I made for myself that God has not asked of me?
- What practice helps me love more freely, even when it takes effort?
- What could I let go of this week?
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