The gifts that we are receiving during Advent and on Christmas are too numerous to count especially when you consider the intimate gifts that God graces each one of us with, gifts prepared just for each one of us alone. The gifts are as special as we are. We could spend a great deal of time meditating simply on all these gifts. Of course the biggest gift is the gift of Jesus, come to earth to walk and love as a human.
Todays reading points to an Advent present if you will, a by product of the myriad gifts Jesus's life brings forth for us. When Jesus confronts and rails against the supreme law givers, the ones who make laws as heavy as any millstone around our necks, he is fulfilling this reading that we are redeemed from the curse of the law.
We can live by the law but it must be in the light of Jesus' love. The law is meant to help us not to choke us. This is why when asked which was the greatest commandment (law), Jesus gave us the two great commandments. By His life and death, Jesus frees us from the law. Now we must use our conscience
I can't help but think about this in the context of a car. It's as if God is freeing us from speed limits. But now we have to consider, respect for others who are driving, the weather, the roads, the shape of our own car, the selfish consumption of resources if we drive so fast and so it goes.
Freedom from the law is a very adult gift, it isn't for lightweights and it respects the ability of us as humans to think. It respects our consciences. But most of all, freedom from the law requires that we think about love. We have to temper every decision in the light of God's love knowing as I say, that God loves everyone else at least as much as God loves you. Heavy stuff.
As Advent unfolds , think about the gifts God is giving us. Adult gifts. Gifts of love.
Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
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