# The new covenant and the law of love
*2015-02-21*

> Bill Young reflects on the prophecy of Jeremiah regarding a new covenant where God writes His law directly upon the hearts of His people.

## A Promise of a New Covenant

In the reading from Jeremiah 31:31-34, the Lord declares that the days are coming when He will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. This covenant is not like the one made with their ancestors when they were brought out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke. Instead, the Lord promises to put His law within them and write it upon their hearts, establishing a relationship where He is their God and they are His people.

## Beyond Legalism

The prophet Jeremiah uses human relationships, such as marriage and the bond between a father and his children, to characterize God's bond with us. Early in Jeremiah's ministry, King Josiah proclaimed that Israel would return to the rediscovered law through certain rituals, but this eventually led to a new kind of legalism. The passage we reflect on today goes beyond a logistic approach to life with God. God tells us through Jeremiah, 'I will write it in their hearts.'

## Living Out the Commitment

We know that it is one thing to profess vows in marriage or in religious life, but it is another thing entirely to live out that commitment with fidelity and courage. The prophet calls his people, and all of us who are baptized, to renew our hearts and create more room for our Creator.

## Freedom Through Forgiveness

Forgiveness brings true freedom. If God can let our past sins remain in the past, why do we continue to live in the past? Why do we so often refuse to let God write upon our hearts? The law of love, revealed in the life and death of Jesus, is what we must embrace. As we move through Lent, may these days bring new life that changes us, melts our hearts, and allows us to experience the joy of living fully for God.

*We are called to move beyond legalism and allow God to write His law of love upon our hearts, finding true freedom through His forgiveness.*