All societies and political bodies are governed by laws and rules. It is a necessary element of a cohesive culture. Laws safeguard the dignity of persons and assure the proper ordering of societal life. Not all laws are just. The law supporting abortion in almost every nation in the world is an unjust law, and we should oppose it with every ounce of our will and collective power. Nonetheless, we only oppose injustice in a lawful and legitimate way. It is never acceptable in the Christian moral vision to do evil so that good may come about.
With that said, we need laws. We are instructed by Sacred Scripture to obey those in authority and to pray for them. In addition to laws there are rules of life. We share an unwritten agreement to live by a certain code of conduct in order to maintain civility and relative peace. For instance, if there is a line we naturally place ourselves at the end of it; we do not cut into the front. If we are the cause of an offense, we apologize. You cannot be cited or fined for avoiding or ignoring these rules, but we do well to follow them because they benefit our lives and the lives of others.
The highest law and the greatest rule, of course, is love. That great theological virtue is the foundation for every just law and every worthwhile rule, and all laws and rules can be judged by it. I mention these realities this morning because in the Gospel passage of the healing of the man with leprosy (Mark 1:40-45) there are all kinds of laws and rules being bent and even broken. Nonetheless, Jesus observes the law of love and upholds it to the letter, bringing healing and new life. But we can come back to that.
For now it is important to look at the law of love and to try to understand its place in our culture today. The world we live in would definitely argue that love is the highest law, but frequently it fails to understand the true meaning of love as God has revealed it. There are thousands of examples, but we can focus on one of them this morning, since it is Valentine’s Day. Six years ago a very successful book was made into a major motion picture and released on February 14 because that is the great celebration of love. The name of the book, and the film, was “Fifty Shades of Grey.”
The basic story line of that book centers around a young and powerful millionaire who passionately pursues beautiful women. He is driven by the desire to conquer as many women as possible. The heroine of the story is a beautiful young woman who is also, to this point, pure. As “love” would have it, she greatly desires to give that purity away.
Truth be told, the book and film are not at all about love. They are about violence, abuse and the objectification of the human person. How very different is the vision of love that the Christian faith embraces. St. John Paul the Great explains that vision brilliantly in his book “Love and Responsibility.” When he was a young parish priest, the man who would become pope conducted interviews with many of the young couples that he was called to serve. He asked them what made them feel fulfilled and dignified, and helped them articulate the pitfalls that left them broken or hurt. From that experience, in "Love and Responsibility,” he states his primary thesis, which he calls the personalistic norm, both negatively and positively. He says:
The person is the kind of good which does not admit of use and cannot be treated as an object of use and as such the means to an end.
The person is the kind of good towards which the only proper and adequate attitude is love.
The law of love is the measure of the person, and anything less than love is not worthy of the great dignity that God has created us for. St. Augustine put it this way: “Love God, and then do whatever you want.” In other words, God commands us to love; He teaches us to give ourselves generously in love for those around us. Jesus Christ will define love as the greatest mark of true friendship: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Love God, follow Christ, and do whatever you want.
Which brings us back to the Gospel this morning. There are all kinds of laws and rules being stretched and broken in that passage! Still, Jesus Christ follows the law of love to the letter and brings healing and new life. In our first reading we learned the Law of Moses regarding people with leprosy:
As long as the sore is on him he hall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.
—Leviticus 13:45-46
Despite such a rigid and essential law for that deadly disease in that precarious period of time, the man with leprosy approaches Jesus and addresses Him directly: “If you wish, you can make me clean.” He probably should not have done that, but Jesus does nothing but accept and welcome him. More than that, St. Mark tells us that Jesus was moved with pity, stretched out His hand and touched the man. That was definitely not in accord with the Mosaic Law! But because He loved this man and had the power to heal him, Jesus reached out and tenderly brought him new life.
Next he gives him a simple rule, which to us sounds a little strange: “See that you tell no one anything . . .” (Mark 1:44). Of course, we soon find out the reason for that rule when the man breaks it! No sooner has he told everyone what happened, then “it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere” (Mark 1:45).
It is remarkable that Jesus has restored this person to the relationships and social status that leprosy had deprived him of, but at such a cost! Now He can no longer minister in the same way. He has taken the place of that leper, Himself now being confined “outside the camp” and in deserted places. He must have known that would happen, but nonetheless He heals the man willingly and lovingly. Such is the law of love. We are called to love because it is the right thing to do, and to reach out to heal even when it costs us.
I close this morning with a beautiful poem written by St. Teresa of Calcutta:
People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Be successful anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you & God.
It was never between you & them anyway
We are called to follow the law of love, even when it costs us. This week, we ask for the grace to love those around us and to bring healing into this world that longs for the touch of Jesus Christ. Even when it is not always welcome or does not immediately benefit us, we love anyway. When we do, we imitate Jesus Christ.
