Teaching about the Law

Today's Reflections

Teaching about the Law 

http://graceandspace.org

Mt 5:17-19

[Jesus said to his disciples,] ¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. ¹⁸Amen, 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. ¹⁹Therefore, 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.”

Reflection:

To fulfill the law. St. Augustine famously said, “Love, and do what you want.” This is not an invitation to disregard God’s law. If you love God, you will fulfill God’s commandments, for you will strive to please God, and you will please God by doing God’s will expressed in the commandments.

We will fulfill the commandments only if we obey them out of love, for Jesus summarized the law for us in the command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves (cf Mk 12:30-31).

Fulfill the commandments then by obeying them out of love and not because of fear of punishment and teach others to obey out of love. You will then be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Love does no evil to the neighbor;

hence, love is the fulfillment of the law”

(Rom 13:10).