HOW DOES THE LORD MEASURE OUR PERFECTION?

“The Lord measures out perfection neither by the multitude nor the magnitude of our deeds, but by the manner in which we perform them.”

Reflection for Wednesday 3rd Week in Lent. March 7th, 2018

Today’s Readings:

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9

Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20 

Matthew 5:17-19

Pope’s Intention for March 2018: Formation in Spiritual Discernment - That the Church may appreciate the urgency of formation in spiritual discernment, both on the personal and communitarian levels.

March 2018: Month of St. Joseph

Prayer of the Day: Prayer against the threats against our faith

Saint Quote of Today: - ”We were in the hands of our persecutors, when my father, out of the affection he bore me, made new efforts to shake my resolution. I said to him: ’Can that vessel, which you see, change its name?’ He said: ’No.’ I replied: ’Nor can I call myself any other than I am, that is to say, a Christian.” - St Perpetua

CAREFUL OBEDIENCE OF CHANGING LAWS

Today, we listened to the Lord speaking to us about His laws and commandments, which He had given to us His people. The commands of the Lord are meant to be yet another sign of God’s love for the people whom God has chosen. The words attributed to Moses in today’s first reading reminds us of that. God has given the law as a reminder of the relationship which God has established with the Chosen People.

The psalm picks up this theme and speaks to us of the fact that God has not proclaimed the divine message to any other people except the Chosen People of God at that time in history. Jesus, in the Gospel, tells us that He has not come to change the law and the teaching of the prophets but to bring them to fulfillment.

Do you view God’s law negatively or positively? Do you love and revere the commands of the Lord? What is impossible to men and women is possible to God and those who put their faith and trust in God. The Lord promised us total victory in which we bring down the strongholds, sophistries, and proud pretensions which raise themselves against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:4-5). What we call now ”obedience” may be more disobedience than obedience.

No laws are absolute. They change with the times, according to the situation and the preferences of the people. What is declared an offence could be sanctioned as sacred the next generation! Laws are therefore mutable. The real question is, are moral laws also changeable? For those who believe in God, the moral laws are universal principles for life, applicable at all times and for all generations. These cannot be changed according to situations but humanity remains constant.

It is within this context of giving life that we are called to approach the laws given to us by God. Indeed, the laws must be seen in relationship to a loving God who cares for His people. The laws are the wisdom of a loving God given to His people so that they can walk in truth and love. To observe the laws, they must remember what the Lord had done for them. Indeed, the laws must not be seen negatively. They are not meant to take away our freedom but to give us true freedom.

However, unless the laws are applied correctly, they become a burden to the people. That was the case of the Jews when the Jewish leaders kept on multiplying the laws. Jesus came to perfect the law by giving us the spirit of the laws. All laws must be at the service of authentic love and at the service of truth. This is how we must measure the wisdom of the laws that are enacted in our communities. Indeed, many of the laws that are enacted are not truly, but only apparently, life-giving.

It is ironical that we approve the immorality of people’s lifestyles promoted in the entertainment world, such as sexual promiscuity, cohabitation, adultery, pornography, violence, cheating and killing as if it is the norm of society. The truth is that when we plant such lustful thoughts into the minds of people, especially the young, these thoughts will be conceived in action. e enact laws that sow the seeds of lust and greed and violence. How can we place the temptation before them, and when they fall into temptation, we accuse them of wrong doing?

Brothers and Sisters, let us reflect, is that our attitude as Christians as well? Is that how we have treated the Lord? So far in our respective lives how many of us have truly lived them with true obedience to the Lord, loving Him genuinely in all that we do and say, in every action we take and in every moment? Or have we blindly obeyed or followed the ways and the rules taught to us by the Church without really understanding why we have done so? Let us all make use of this time of Lent to prepare ourselves mentally, spiritually and physically to grow deeper in our love and commitment to God.

Today, let each one of us, remember that God looks into our very heart and inmost will.
GOD BLESS YOU