Reading I: Deut 4:1,5-9,
Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20,
Gospel: Mtt 5:27-9 Full Readings
I have not come to abolish the law and the prophets but to complete it.
Dear brethren, we all know that in any society, institution, organization, religious denomination, there are laws, norms and customs which govern and help people to live in Harmony with one another as well as in good relationships with God. These laws are intended to bring people together, make them happy, and give everyone freedom and respective rights. Law is a very sensitive part when it comes to the dos and don'ts.
God also has his laws and ordinances to his chosen nation Israel as an instruction of life, the way they are to live together and worship him as their only one God. The law of God in the first Testament had two consequences: the one who followed the law was blessed forever, and the one who disregarded the law, disregarded the God for the law was the will of God, and therefore would be cursed. Therefore all people were always invited and reminded to follow the law and ordinances of God. This also applies to us, blessed are we who follow the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, for God will always be on our side, for in this way we are doing the will of God. The Old Testament laws is also our law, as Christians and we ought to follow it, it is from this law that we derive all other laws.
This law was completed by Jesus Christ who in today's Gospel says that he didn't come to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill it. We can ask ourselves how Jesus fulfilled these laws while we see that many of the controversies in the gospels between Jesus and Pharisees as well as scribes were brought about by Jesus not following the law. It is also very clear that Jesus died because of the law ....we have laws and according to these laws he is supposed to die. Then, how did Jesus fulfill the law?
Firstly we have to remember that the interpretation of the laws by the Pharisees and Scribes was contrary to the will of God. They used the law for their egoistic tendencies, to oppress people while themselves would not follow it and they even invented other laws which were contrary to the will of God while holding that it is through the name of God. In this way the law lost its sense in the society, for it was no longer the will of God but the will of egoistic people, not at the service if the people but people became subordinates of the law.
Jesus therefore was bringing in the New understanding of law, placing human dignity at the centre and to liberate those who were slaves of law. This was totally contrary to the understanding of law of the Pharisees and Scribes. This is what there are a lot of controversies brought about by Jesus in the process to bring new understanding of the law.
Which law did Jesus fulfill and how? Jesus summarises all the law into one law, that is, the law of love . Jesus loved all humanity and promoted in every way their human dignity. He loved us until he removed all sacrificial laws of bulls, Rams, by being a sacrifice himself and thus fulfilling the law. We are saved through this fulfillment. Believing and teaching the gospel of Jesus, is to abide by the law, and thus considered great in the kingdom of God. Lack of faith in Jesus as the law fulfiller is to be considered least in the kingdom of God. We are therefore saved but our faith in Jesus as St Paul points it out.
When I talk about St Paul and his teaching of being saved by faith in Jesus, I remember a question which was once posed to me, if we are saved by faith in Christ, then what is the need of the law in the church, for instance Canon law? When we read the very last Canon in the code of Canon law, it holds that laws are for helping the faithful to attain salvation in Jesus Christ, any other laws without this end and which makes any single soul to be lost is not to be called and be recognised as law, it is against the salvation of the soul.
This should also apply in our societies, if any law is not for the good of the individual and the community should automatically be kicked out of the body of laws. It may be oppressive and not protecting human dignity. Unfortunately, still there are many such laws in our communities and I would like to invite you today to reflect on how you and I have been able to act like Jesus, to confront the laws and laws makers who infringe many big and oppressive laws on people and they too don't follow them. Let's be able to come out as Christians starting from our families, places of work and the whole community, to challenge those laws which are not for the common good.
What about us lawmakers are we making just laws and laws for common good or for individual gains like the Pharisees? Are our laws in our families, communities, countries and the world based on the laws of God and able to lead people to salvation? If no, let's pray for the Graces to make just and good laws.
Are we also following the laws put before us for the good of the whole community or we act indifferent, for breaking the law not only affects us but also the whole community. Let's pray today for such Graces too to follow the law both civil and Godly for the good of our community and for our spiritual welfare respectively.
We pray for law makers that they make good and just laws and for all the people that we should live in Harmony guided by the law. God bless us all.
Blessed Lenten period.
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