Matthew 5:17-19 Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.’ The law is not ignored by Christians, but fulfilled. Yet, it is fulfilled out of love, not out of fear, nor simple cultural repetition, though healthy fear can motivate, and cultural repetition can form. Love is the ultimate reason for doing what is good, better, and best for God and people. We do it because God commanded it, and we love God. We do it for love. But this is not mere ritual obedience. We go beyond what the law prepares for, and symbolizes, to the final purpose of the law. That final purpose is Christ! Though the early Church grappled with Jewish ritual law for Jews and Gentiles, and encouraged Jews to fulfill the ritual observance, Peter is instructed to eat of clean and unclean animals. The Church quickly grew beyond a predominantly Jewish membership to one that was truly universal, or Catholic. The law now applied to both Jewish religious, philosophical, and civic law when they were in harmony with the teaching of Jesus Christ. The notion of the law had taken on a new meaning, but we were still to fulfill it when it led to God and the betterment of humanity. Today it takes on a new meaning among Christians themselves. There is a subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, tendency to worship scripture, or Church teaching beyond the very Jesus they are supposed to lead us too! Scripture, liturgy, magisterial teachings, and even religion itself are gifts from God meant by God to lead is back to God! But far too often we make gods of the gifts of God, and miss God in the process! The line between serious devotion and false worship can be thin, and those in all churches or communities can easily cross over it if we are not careful! But when we really seek and are in union with Jesus we fulfill all these things more perfectly out of love alone. This is why St. Augustine could say: "Love God, and do what you will." Love really does fulfill, not only the letter, but he deeper spirit of the law, the Spirit of God. Are we fulfilling the law out of love of God today?
Posted on: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:11:31 +0000