The Law of Real Love
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
For a shorter option of today’s Gospel reading, please visit: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Matthew 5: 17-37 - Jesus said to his disciples: “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. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter 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 brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to 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.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
The Law of Moses is given to the Jews as a special blessing, but it also serves as a guide to keep them doing right and avoiding wrong. Laws are only given to guide the imperfect; the perfect are guided only by love. So the Jews are subject to the Law because they are weak. Jesus, however, is perfect and doesn’t need to Law to guide Him. So He is truly “above” the Law. Nevertheless, Jesus is not interested in ignoring the Law, but instead in fulfilling it.
Certainly there are parts of the Old Testament, the Law, and other non-law customs that are hard for us to understand. But Jesus repeatedly tells His New Testament listeners that they bound to uphold, (or sometimes even go beyond) the morality given before them. This idea puts Christian beliefs at direct odds with many people today. Certain actions or sins that many people today now praise as normal and even good are explicitly rejected by the moral principals of Law that Jesus commands us to follow. Will we let modern culture form our minds and our souls, or will we trust the mind and the authority of Jesus Christ. If we want to abide by God’s law, the law of real love, we will have to learn to trust the mind and authority of Christ.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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