Deuteronomy 4:1.5-9;
Psalm 147: 12-13.15-16. 19-20 (R. 12a);
Matthew 5:17-19 Full Readings
Fulfilling the Law
Brethren, today's first reading and the Gospel talk about the law and its fulfilment. The Law which was given to the Jews was to foster life and to live in communion with God the source of all life, for when we are in God then we have life. Jesus puts it clearly in today's Gospel that he didn't come to abolish this law but to fulfill it, though the scribes and Pharisees were always condemning him for breaking the law. The Pharisees and scribes followed the letter of the law while Jesus, in fulfilling the law, brought and taught the Spirit of the law, that is, law that fosters life and love of God and neighbours.
Jesus' attitude towards the law of God can be summed up in the great prayer of Psalm 119: "Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day." For the people of Israel the "law" could refer to the ten commandments or to the five Books of Moses, called the Pentateuch, which explain the commandments and ordinances of God for his people. The "law" also referred to the whole teaching or way of life which God gave to his people. However, it's obvious that though the Jews in Jesus' time also used it as a description of the oral or scribal law, the scribes added many more things to the law than God had intended. That is why Jesus often condemned the scribal law. It placed burdens on people which God had not intended. Jesus, however, made it very clear that the essence of God's law - his commandments and way of life, must be fulfilled.
And yet Jesus, while remaining faithful to the Law, gives it his own emphasis, often quoting the Bible itself. ‘My pleasure is in mercy not sacrifice’ (Hosea 6.6, quoted by Jesus in Matthew 9.13) gives a whole new dimension to worship and forgiveness. Putting love of neighbour on a level with the first commandment of love of God (bringing Leviticus 19.18 to the level of Deuteronomy 6.4, as in Mark 12.29) gives a new emphasis on the treatment of others. The insistence on the permanence of the bond of marriage as a law of nature (Mark 10.8, as opposed to Deuteronomy 24.1) gives a firm basis for the family. Perhaps most of all, it was Jesus’ awareness of the full meaning of what it is to be the Servant of the Lord God prophesied in Isaiah, that led to his act of perfect, loving obedience on the Cross.
Jesus fulfilled the law by removing all false interpretation and giving us the right teachings as well as deepening the understanding of law. It’s interesting to note that the new depth of the moral law Jesus gives actually goes beyond human reason. “Thou shall not kill” makes sense to almost everyone, but “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” is a new moral law that makes sense only by the help of grace. But without grace, the natural human mind alone cannot arrive at this new commandment.
For us we fulfil the law by living according to what demands of us, for instance, love your enemy, give alms, help the poor, help the religious in spreading good news and so forth. However, in doing so we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to give us discernment so that we may discern well what the right interpretation of the law is as well as to interpret the law very well, rather than relying on human reason. Let us pray for this gift.
Let us Pray.
O Lord, you have given us your law that whoever follows it may have life and live a life pleasing and in communion with you. Help us to know the real meaning of the law you have given us so that we may live according to it. Amen
Blessed Lent
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