Apostleship of Prayer
 
 

The relationship comes first

 

We see this message in the Old Testament, when God delivered the Jews from their Egyptian oppressors. They cried to God in their distress, and God heard the cry the poor, and led them into an everlasting covenant with him. This covenant-the Old Testament-was formalised on Mount Sinai, when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. But from God's side, the relationship with the people was already irrevocably established. God had already committed himself unconditionally to his people through becoming their Saviour and leading them out of Egypt.

The observance of the Ten Commandments was not a condition for keeping the relationship. Rather, it was the best way for the people to live out of and enjoy their relationship with an unconditionally loving God. When disaster struck the Jews, it was not because they were 'punished' for breaking the commandments. Rather, it was because they lost sight of the relationship, and experienced what it was like to live in a Godless world.

(There is another slightly irreverent version of the origin of the Ten Commandments. According to this version, God approached the Medes and Persians and said 'I have some commandments here; would you like some? 'Give us a sample', said the Medes and Persians. 'Thou shalt not steal', God answered. 'Not interested', came the reply. So God tried again, this time going to the Assyrians: 'I have some commandments here; would you like some?' 'Tell us one,' said the Assyrians. 'Thou shalt not commit adultery', replied God. 'Not interested', was the reply. Finally, God went to Moses: 'Moses,' God said, 'I have some commandments here; are you interested?' 'How much are they?' asked Moses. 'They're free', God replied. Whereupon Moses said, 'I’ll take ten'.)

In the New Testament, Jesus tells us, 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments'. Again, to focus on the commandments, outside of the relationship with Jesus, is to carry a meaningless burden. Keeping his commandments only makes sense -- is actually life-giving¬ -- if it flows out of the relationship. It is important to notice Jesus does not say, 'I will love you if you keep my commandments.' He loves us whatever we do. His love, like his Father's, is unconditional. He is simply reminding us that the best way to relish and enjoy our relationship with him is to follow his way. But the focus is on the relationship.

(to be continued)

Patrick O'Sullivan, SJ

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