Christian Spiritual Formation

Rabbi Jesus offers us a commanding vision when he highlights two principles within the rich faith of the Hebrews and places them next to one another in a triadic relational formula.  His genius takes the Shema found to Deuteronomy 6:4 and recited by faithful Jews at least daily with the instruction to “love the Lord our God with all of one’s heart, soul and might.” and joins it with the instruction found in Leviticus 19:18b to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves.”

 

By binding these two verses of the law code together, Jesus teaches us that a relationship with God is not exclusively vertical.  To truly love God is to love all that God loves.  The nature of Christianity is symbolized with a cross to remember our primary love for God is always balanced with the horizontal love we offer one another while being met at the intersection with how we also choose to love and care for the self.   I take that to mean we cannot truly love God and others unless we are also caring for our souls with nurture, insight, and growth.

 

The care and development of our soul in the image of Christ by loving God and loving others is what I would call Christian Spiritual Formation.  As Richard Rohr says, "The great commandment is not, 'follow the rules.'  It is, 'be in love.'"