Beyond Duty
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Let all that you do be done in love.”
I am awed by a Roman Catholic Trappist Monk named Thomas Merton. Merton was a prolific writer who lived his faith in the world. He was a student of meditation but did not shy away from the world but engaged it through acts of compassion and justice. Merton challenged authorities with non-violence and took stands during race riots and the Vietnam War. Merton died at the age of 53 but did so much to nurture and inspire others in his short life.
I love Merton’s book, Life and Holiness. In his chapter on “Life in the Spirit,” Merton affirms that the “Christian life is based not on love of an abstract law but on love of the living God, a divine person, Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, who has redeemed us and delivered us from the darkness of sin. And it is based also on the love of our brothers [and sisters] in Christ.” Merton regularly pushes people to affirm faith as not mere duty or legalistic morality but an act of love in return for all God has done for us. We express love in the way we respond to others.
Merton continues, “We must realize that our acts of virtue and our good works are not done simply in order to satisfy the cold obligation of an impersonal law. They are a personal response of love to the desire of a human Heart filled with divine love for us.” Merton’s faith is relational at every level. Faith in God is not about adhering to proper theological belief but an unending commitment to loving God and neighbor in complex ways, extending from holding a hand to facing political demands.
Today, prayerfully consider your faith journey. How was your faith nurtured? Were you told that if you believe a certain way, you will honor God and experience salvation? Legalism is not Merton’s experience or one that Jesus expressed in the Gospels. The faith is expressed not in duty but love. We are called to ponder how best to love in each situation in all areas of our lives. Loving those we fear is difficult. Faith is easier if it is just following a list of rules. It is harder when we bring our emotions, fears, and doubts to the table. Bring your love to the table and watch how God transforms the world around you.
