Some thoughts on the Season of Creation and Paul

A big theme in Paul’s letter to the Romans is law. We normally understand this to mean Torah. It is also the theme in Matthew 11, where Jesus is offering an understanding of Torah or yoke. Torah was given to allow the people of God to be righteous – to be faithful to the ever present and eternally faithful (righteous) God, who was working to redeem humanity and restore creation. Too easily it became a measure to assess our worthiness and to exclude people we felt unworthy. God got lost. God’s covenant work was forgotten. And our relationships with God, each other, and all creation were broken.

Some suggest that law for Paul also meant any human system that shaped identity and worthiness, and defined who and what was acceptable and who and what is not.  And Paul is saying that all these lead to death. I wonder how being n the Season of Creation helps us read this. Maybe sin includes all that breaks our relationship with God, each other, and all creation, and is seen in the catastrophic pollution and biodiversity loss, and ever-increasing warming and climate change. We seem to be slaves to our current economic systems. We have forgotten that we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; but borrow it from our children. And it is leading to death.

Instead, though God’s love shown in Jesus we are invited to live in the grace that transforms us into a community of hospitality, hope, goodness, and generosity. The same yoke Jesus offered which is light and rest for the weary. This Season of Creation, as our little trickle joins other little trickles of hope to become a mighty river of justice and peace, how do we hear Jesus’ invitation to rest both in God’s eternal presence and love, and with all those who go with us offering hospitality and hope.