This week Jesus fine tunes and clarifies for the disciples, and likewise for us, how his person, his message and his mission complete and perfects the Mosaic law, for Jesus did not come to abolish, or replace the laws, but to fulfill them.
In our first reading from the book of Sirach the prophet said that is is up to us, individually, to be faithful to God and we must choose. God neither commands us to sin nor does He command us to love. Sirach says, “…he has set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” We are made to understand clearly that God does not tell us what to do but gives us laws to follow IF we wish to have life WITH God. We are equally free to choose not to follow God’s laws…but that way can lead to loss of God and eternal life.
Jesus expounds on the laws and teaches that sin is not just the acts we do but also how we live within our hearts. This is why he says that if you are angry with someone you should seek a resolution before you go to church to worship to God. Jesus teaches that we cannot come before the altar of God and have peace and love while our hearts are still filled with anger. Jesus wants us to not only profess our love and faith in God but to live our lives in all ways that reflect and perfect that love of God. Our greatest life lesson is how to live in peace. To truly live in peace we must develop a good conscience that will help us to stay on the right path. When we go to mass and hear the Word of God and participate in the prayers of mass and partake of the Eucharist, the center and summit of our Catholic faith, we feed and nourish our bodies and minds to make them strong so we can live the commandments of Jesus!
The Psalm this week is Psalm 119: Blessed Are They Who Follow the Law of the Lord
Have a blessed week!
Peace in Christ,
Elaine