"Do not think
that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish
but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the
smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until
all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of
these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the
kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be
called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matthew 5: 17-19)
Introductory prayer :“My
son, keep my words, and treasure my commands. Keep my commands and live, my
teaching as the apple of your eye; Bind them on your fingers, write them on the
tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 7). Father, teach me your will and write it
on my heart. Let me believe your words, placing my faith in them. Let me hope
in your promises, which you always fulfill, and learn to love by the
fulfillment of your will in my life.
Petition : Your will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven. Father, let my life today be a reflection of
your will!
1. “Teacher what must
I do to inherit eternal life? (Mt19:16). To the young man who asked this
question, Jesus says: "If you would enter life, keep the
commandments." And he cites for his questioner the precepts that concern
love of neighbor: "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You
shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother."
Jesus sums up these commandments positively: "You shall love your neighbor
as yourself." Christ respects the law, building upon it. It is the first
requirement for this young man. The law has its place. It is the first
expression of our love for God.
2. Jesus then invites
him to go further: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and
give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow
me." The old law is brought to perfection in Christ.
He calls us to go
beyond, from the logic of law to that of love. He would fulfill perfectly all
that the law required, and much more, because of his love. “He humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly
exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name…” (Philippians 2:8).
3. Jesus substitutes
his obedience for our disobedience "For as by one man´s disobedience
many were made sinners, so by one man´s obedience many will be made
righteous" (Romans 5:19). By his obedience unto death, Jesus
accomplished our salvation making himself an offering for sin, so that bearing
our sin he makes satisfaction for our disobedience. It is precisely in his
obedience to the law, and ultimately to the Father, that Jesus works our
salvation. The Catechism proclaims that “Jesus is the new Adam who remained
faithful just where the first Adam had given in to temptation. Jesus fulfills
Israel´s vocation perfectly: in contrast to those who had once provoked God
during forty years in the desert, Christ reveals himself as God´s Servant,
totally obedient to the divine will. In this, Jesus is the devil´s conqueror:
he ‘binds the strong man’ to take back his plunder. Jesus´ victory over the
tempter in the desert anticipates victory at the Passion, the supreme act of
obedience of his filial love for the Father” (#539).
Dialogue with Christ :
My King and Savior, you overcame temptation and sin to give me a holy example
and to bring me grace to follow your example. Make me a loyal follower of yours
in this daily battle against my pride and selfishness. I hope in your
assistance, and I shall keep trying to live an intelligent life, a life of
obedience to your all-wise will. Teach me to deny myself frequently in order to
choose you all the more.
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