6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
Our First reading today from the Book of Sirach 15:15-20 tells us that "If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live." In line with this teaching, Jesus in today’s gospel reading emphasizes the importance of the law by stating that He has come not to abolish the laws but to fulfill them. But while pointing out the importance of the Jewish laws and the commandments, Jesus calls our attention to the intrinsic aspects of these laws and commandments that are taken for granted.
Late Pope Francis once stated in his homily referring to today’s gospel reading that “Jesus here is encouraging us to move from a formal observance of the Law to a more deeper and substantial observance, that is, accepting the Law in our hearts, because from the heart comes good and bad deeds." With these words, late Pope Francis reminds us that the fulfillment of the law and commandments of God should be centered on Love, because it makes our observance of the law more focused on God’s sacrifice for us and brings us to do the same for others.
My dear friends in Christ, is our fulfillment of the law and the commandments of God today centered on Love for God because of His sacrifice for us? How are we fulfilling the laws of God and His commandments? Are our practices of the law and commandments just empty practices with no spiritual values in our lives? Are they there just to be practiced without them changing us and leading us to a true spiritual conversion? Are we practicing them just to fulfill all righteousness or just to go through the motions because the Church has asked us to? Does the commandments of God and the laws of the Church mean anything to us spiritually and do they actually impact our lives as Catholic Christians today?
Love as we know is a strong affection for another, an attraction or tenderness for someone or something and an intense feeling of deep affection. From a Christian point is view, Love is the selfless sacrifice of God for our redemption and salvation shown in Christ Jesus. From this definition, we can tell that Love is an act of selflessness. This act of selflessness has been shown us by God in our salvation story and till date in our daily lives. In His explanation of some Jewish laws in the gospel reading today, Jesus reminds us to dig in deeper into the practice of our faith. He in fact reminds us to always be loving and caring to others notwithstanding that sometimes it can be very painful and challenging. It may seem very overwhelming and impossible, but when done selflessly, it is always fruitful.
So my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray in today’s Eucharistic celebration for God’s graces, mercies and strength to move from a formal observance of the law, to a more substantial observance of the law that is centered on true love for God and shown daily in our love for our neighbor.
