I tell you if your sense of right and wrong is not keener than that of the lawyers and the Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
You have heard, that it was said to our people in the past: Do not commit murder; anyone who murders will have to face trial. But now, I tell you: whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will face trial. Whoever insults a brother of sister is liable, to be brought before the council. Whoever calls a brother or a sister “fool!” is liable, of being thrown into the fire of hell. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there, in front of the altar; go at once, and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God. Don’t forget this: be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put in jail. There, you will stay, until you have paid the last penny.
POINT OF REFLECTION
The gospel of yesterday did mention a complete obedience of the law as modeled by Jesus saying that “I have not come to annul the laws and the prophet but to fulfill them.” Meaning He emphasizes how important for as Christians to obey the laws and the words of the prophets. However, today’s gospel warned us not to overly interpret the laws and the words of the prophets. It might compromise our relationship with the community folks and the Father in heaven.
As we have learn from the writings in the Bible and today’s ways of proclaiming God’s word, many would tend to fall into arguments about cannon laws citing verses to support the merit of their argument. They hung up themselves from the very details of the laws and words of the prophets but did not recognize the value and meaning beyond mere obedience to the details of actual spirit and meaning that are embedded in them.
The heart of the Laws and words of the Prophets is the true and meaningful relationship with God who has given us the law and sent to us the Prophets. Be reminded that such relationship with God can only be achieved through intimate relationship with our fellow Christians in the community and to the Father.
We could not imagine what life would become without Law. However, this gospel cautioned us to implement the Laws with love and compassion to promote serious relationship to the people in the community and to the Father in heaven.
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