First reading Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9
Keep these laws and observe them
Moses said to the people:
‘Now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you.
‘See, as the Lord my God has commanded me, I teach you the laws and customs that you are to observe in the land you are to enter and make your own. Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding. When they come to know of all these laws they will exclaim, “No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation.” And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation is there that has laws and customs to match this whole Law that I put before you today?
‘But take care what you do and be on your guard. Do not forget the things your eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart all the days of your life; rather, tell them to your children and to your children’s children.’
Responsorial Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates
he has blessed the children within you.
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees.
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Gospel Matthew 5:17-19
I have not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to complete them
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.’
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Learning to love
“The one who loves another has fulfilled the law…love is the fulfilment of the law” (Rom 13:8,10). As today’s gospel tells us, Jesus is the One who brought to completion the Jewish law because He fulfilled the essence of what the law requires: love. Love is evident in the way He lived. For example, He did not judge anyone but related sincerely with everyone; He was attentive to people’s presence and needs; He forgave untiringly the faults of His friends, etc. As such, His whole life becomes a valuable lesson of what it means to love.
Love is the lesson we are called to learn from Jesus. It is not just a concept to be understood intellectually or memorised and recited in words. It is a lesson to be practised in our lives. As we love, little by little, our lives show and teach others around us the same lesson of Christian love. Let us take the opportunity today to walk with Jesus in life and practice loving those we meet along the way.
Reflective question:
What concrete acts of love I am called to practice today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
