The Great Gift that is a Challenge!
Following the teaching of the Beatitudes (8 ‘Blessed are you’ statements), Matthew continues the Sermon on the Mount with a three-part instruction by Jesus on the Way of Life in the kingdom of heaven. Today’s reading is part one and deals with the Law. Part two deals with worship and religious practice and contains the Lord’s Prayer. Part three deals with trusting God and deeds of loving service to our neighbor.
When Matthew speaks of “the Law and the prophets” he means the whole Scripture. When the Messiah brings the fullness of the kingdom none of scripture will be done away with. Instead, it will be fulfilled. Matthew firmly asserts that Jesus does not overturn the Law of Moses, nor does he set his followers free from the Law. He requires his followers to go beyond the Law by doing more than the Law requires.
The Law condemned murder. Jesus condemns anger. The Law condemned adultery. Jesus condemns even lustful looks. In the gospel, Jesus gives several examples of sin—murder, adultery, lying under oath. But he makes the compelling point that all these greater sins begin with some lesser sin. And they all have their roots in the human heart. They start with what we choose. Most sins begin that way. It’s an idea, a thought, a desire. It’s the choice to do something easy or quick or pleasurable and knowing that you won’t get caught. It starts with that faint inkling that you can get away with something—and then, to try it. It begins with a choice. We are reminded that God is not the one who determines our fate. We do it to ourselves. We do it by our choices.
Most of the early Christians were from the Jewish communities who held in high reverence the Law. Here we can understand the difference Jesus and the kingdom brings to the life of the believer. God has always been at work in history through “the Law and the prophets.” But God’s work goes beyond that to be embodied by the Messiah who reveals the definitive will of God. The written scriptures and their interpretation in tradition are surpassed by Jesus whose life and teaching are the definitive revelation of the will of God.
Many of us believe that “becoming great” in God’s kingdom simply means to attend church on a regular basis especially on Sunday; however, more is required. Becoming great in God’s kingdom requires us to understand the covenant relationship which we have with our God. Becoming great requires us to understand that we are co-creators appointed by our God and with that comes a responsibility to care for all of God’s creation and that includes other human beings. Becoming great requires us to love our God and our neighbor.
In our first reading from the Book of Sirach these words can be found, “Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” One of the blessings of our humanity, something that goes back to the very dawn of time and the first day humankind walked through Eden, is that God gives us that choice. God gives us free will. Choosing to love God and one another is surely among the good choices of life. However, at times we find that making such a choice is difficult because the view from our lenses may be clouded.
God gave us this tremendous gift of freely choosing because love isn’t truly love unless it is freely given – and freely received. After all, a gift isn’t a gift unless and until it is received. God has paid us a tremendous compliment in that He respects our decisions. That is why He never forces our decisions. He offers and then He waits for our response. His love for us is unconditional. His only law is love, a love within us that governs our choices and the actions that flow from our choices. Fr Tom Kunnel, C.O.