Wednesday, March 2, 2005
3rd Week of Lent

1st Reading: Dt 4:1,5-9
Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to remove but to fulfill them. I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or stroke of the Law will change until all is fulfilled.

"So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches others to do the same will be great in the kingdom of heaven."

Commentary

JESUS the teacher, in the tradition of Moses, comes to bring the law to completeness. It is assumed that we obey the commandments and that we dig deeper into them and obey them with all our heart and soul, and mind and resources (strength). And there is a further injunction: we are to teach them to others, in word and deed, by example and love. We must be dedicated to the law that introduces us to the wisdom of God and seeks to form us in God's image ever more truly. The kingdom of heaven is already here in the person of Jesus and we are called to imitate Jesus in his obedience to the law, and the giver of the law-God our Father who sees us all as his children, hopefully his obedient children, showing forth to others what it means to belong to God.

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