Sirach 15:15-20
1Cor. 2:6-10
Matthew 5:17-37
Fulfilling the Law
Today's Gospel is an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount, often characterized by the radical choices that Jesus invites his disciples to make. In today's passage, Jesus presents himself as the New Moses, who came not to abolish or abrogate the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfil and perfect it. In fact, the Law should not be considered as a simple set of precepts prohibiting certain behaviours, but as a means to realize our humanity and a way to enter into a life of communion with God.
In this dynamic, it is not enough not to commit murder, but also not to get angry, and to go as far as forgiving and reconciling. It’s not enough not to commit adultery, but to educate ourselves in purity of heart and mind and avoid the least occasion of sin. It is not enough not to take false oaths but to cultivate integrity, sincerity and faithfulness; we must be men and women of our word.
It is therefore obvious that Jesus invites us to go further, to go beyond “the wisdom of this age”, to use the words of Saint Paul in the second reading. But to embrace the “wisdom of God” that is revealed to us in the Gospel, that is, the way of Jesus. It is a radical choice and often difficult to make but that leads to freedom. Jesus invites us to look at our interior disposition, into our hearts in whatever we do. For we often regret the consequences of some of our choices, and unfortunately blame God or others for the misfortunes that result from our ouwn choices. Thus, Ben Sirach reminds us that each of us is free and responsible for his choices and actions.
Reflecting on man’s free will and responsibility, Ben Sirach says that (i) man is free to choose good or evil, and (ii) to choose good is to make the best choice which leads to happiness and life. There are therefore two ways which are constantly open before us: the path of good which leads to happiness, to a life of eternal bliss with God, and the path of evil which leads to unhappiness, sadness and death. In a confident prayer, let us ask the Lord to grant us the grace to always choose the path of good so that one day we may enter into eternal life. Amen
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