The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to deepen our choice of the Good Path by living the ancient Laws with an expanded sense of compassion, mercy, and Love.
In the reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses commands obedience to the Law.
Psalm 147 offers Praise for God’s Care for Jerusalem.
* [Psalm 147] The hymn is divided into three sections by the calls to praise in Ps 147:1, 7, 12. The first section praises the powerful creator who restores exiled Judah (Ps 147:1–6); the second section, the creator who provides food to animals and human beings; the third and climactic section exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created and made the place of disclosure for God’s word, a word as life-giving as water. (Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Sermon on the Mount, from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches about the Law and the Prophets.
* [5:17–20] This statement of Jesus’ position concerning the Mosaic law is composed of traditional material from Matthew’s sermon documentation (see note on Mt 5:1–7:29), other Q material (cf. Mt 18; Lk 16:17), and the evangelist’s own editorial touches. To fulfill the law appears at first to mean a literal enforcement of the law in the least detail: until heaven and earth pass away nothing of the law will pass (Mt 5:18). Yet the “passing away” of heaven and earth is not necessarily the end of the world understood, as in much apocalyptic literature, as the dissolution of the existing universe. The “turning of the ages” comes with the apocalyptic event of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and those to whom this gospel is addressed are living in the new and final age, prophesied by Isaiah as the time of “new heavens and a new earth” (Is 65:17; 66:22). Meanwhile, during Jesus’ ministry when the kingdom is already breaking in, his mission remains within the framework of the law, though with significant anticipation of the age to come, as the following antitheses (Mt 5:21–48) show.
* [5:19] Probably these commandments means those of the Mosaic law. But this is an interim ethic “until heaven and earth pass away.” (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)
Rashmi Fernando, S.J. comments that through the lens of St. Ignatius of Loyola's spiritual teachings, we understand Jesus' invitation is to discern the deeper spirit behind the law, cultivate a prayerful disposition, and engage in contemplative action that reflects God's love and justice, transcending mere legalistic observance.
We are called to engage in a process of discernment, attentively listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and discerning God's will in our lives. As we navigate life's complexities, let us heed the wisdom of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, who encapsulates the transformative power of love in the following verse:
“Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything” (Loyola Press, 2024). (Fernando, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Making daily progress towards God,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"As Christians, our task is to make daily progress toward God. Our pilgrimage on earth is a school in which God is the only teacher, and it demands good students, not ones who play truant. In this school we learn something every day. We learn something from the commandments, something from examples, and something from Sacraments. These things are remedies for our wounds and materials for our studies." (excerpt from Sermon 16A,1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:17-19 imagines an awards ceremony. But this is not your typical awards show; this one is in heaven, and it’s led by God, the ultimate Master of ceremonies.
Today, think about that awards ceremony in heaven. Then invite the Lord to speak to you about how you can be the “greatest” in his eyes. Is he nudging you to be content with what you have? Is he asking you to take a day of rest? Or perhaps he’s calling you to maintain an attitude of kindness toward people you find difficult to be around. Obey him today, and imagine his great pleasure as he gives you the kingdom of heaven award!
“Lord, I know that you see me even when no one else does. Help me to live for your eternal reward and not for any other fleeting prizes.” (Meditation on Matthew 5:17-19, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the Two Paths in Deuteronomy that lead to life by observing the laws and precepts of God and to death for the opposite choice. Jesus' mission fulfills the Law by expanding the prohibition on killing to action that protects the reputation, health, and well being of others. Friar Jude reminds us that demographics of the converts of the first century resulted in a greater acceptance of the attitude of Paul to the Law than the direction in Matthew.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces ecological theologian Thomas Berry (1914–2009) who reflects on our much-needed connection with nature. We need to move from a spirituality of alienation from the natural world to a spirituality of intimacy with it, … to a spirituality of the divine as revealed in the visible world about us, from a spirituality concerned with justice simply to humans to a justice that includes the larger Earth community….
We cannot save ourselves without saving the world in which we live.… We will live or die as this world lives or dies. We can say this both physically and spiritually. We will be spiritually nourished by this world or we will be starved for spiritual nourishment. No other revelatory experience can do for the human what the experience of the natural world does. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)
We implore the Holy Spirit to guide us to deepen our connection with the Divine beyond observance of ancient Laws to a spirituality based on deepening love for all people and the Creation we have been gifted on our journey.
References
Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/4?1
Fernando, R. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/030624.html
Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?17
Meditation on Matthew 5:17-19. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/03/06/907671/
Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/147?12
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Earth Spirituality. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/earth-spirituality/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Whoever Relaxes One of the Commandments. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=mar6
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