Wednesday, March 14, 2007
From AscensionNYC
Wednesday in the Third Week of Lent
Psalm 78:1-6
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 5-9
Matthew 5:17-19
The second reading and the gospel both emphasize the importance of the "Law." For me it is intriguing when Jesus says, "not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." We certainly don't follow the "Law."
Looking back and knowing how events unfold, we can understand that Jesus is signaling that he is the fulfillment of the Law, and as such has a status totally unlike that of the prophets.
What can he mean when he says he is fulfilling the law? What affect does the law have on its followers?
When I was student, I shared an apartment with a Jewish student who followed kosher dietary rules. What I found fascinating was the impact of following these rules. They aren't particularly burdensome, but because every meal you eat, every glass or dish or utensil you touch requires some thought, you are constantly reminded about religion. Your religion can never become secondary to your existence. The risk with this approach is that in an attempt to follow all the rules, the rules themselves become idols. It is quite easy to forget why they are being followed. I would argue that they were/are followed to keep God's people close to Him in a very practical way.
How does Jesus fulfill the law, which then allows the law to pass away? As the Son of God, the incarnate Jesus is now close to us in a way that the mere Law could never be. Instead of following the law, we now follow Jesus.
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 5-9
Matthew 5:17-19
The second reading and the gospel both emphasize the importance of the "Law." For me it is intriguing when Jesus says, "not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." We certainly don't follow the "Law."
Looking back and knowing how events unfold, we can understand that Jesus is signaling that he is the fulfillment of the Law, and as such has a status totally unlike that of the prophets.
What can he mean when he says he is fulfilling the law? What affect does the law have on its followers?
When I was student, I shared an apartment with a Jewish student who followed kosher dietary rules. What I found fascinating was the impact of following these rules. They aren't particularly burdensome, but because every meal you eat, every glass or dish or utensil you touch requires some thought, you are constantly reminded about religion. Your religion can never become secondary to your existence. The risk with this approach is that in an attempt to follow all the rules, the rules themselves become idols. It is quite easy to forget why they are being followed. I would argue that they were/are followed to keep God's people close to Him in a very practical way.
How does Jesus fulfill the law, which then allows the law to pass away? As the Son of God, the incarnate Jesus is now close to us in a way that the mere Law could never be. Instead of following the law, we now follow Jesus.
Vincent Truglia
