Gospel reading: Mt 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
REFLECTIONS
BUT I SAY TO YOU
It is ironic that Jesus is accused of violating some of the laws of Moses when his interpretation of the same laws or commandments is much more radical – in fact, too radical. Jesus warns his hearers that unless their righteousness goes beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees, they will never enter the Kingdom of God. These religious leaders champion the strict literal observance of the Law, but in so doing, they remain on the surface or the “letter.” Jesus calls attention to a deeper righteousness that goes beyond external observance, fulfilling the “spirit” of the Law. A person may not be committing an actual murder, but Jesus declares that murderous feelings or hateful and angry words, even calling another “fool,” are equally condemnable.
Legalism absolutizes the importance of laws so that they almost become “gods” in themselves. Because laws are man-made, meant to protect human rights and promote the common good, they can be manipulated and “idolized” and so become oppressive of the very people they are supposed to serve. Thus, it is always good to look into the true spirit behind a law and the good it is supposed to promote in society.
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
