One of the key themes in my spiritual life has been obedience. I used to believe that there was an exception to every rule and so I struggled with total obedience because I was always looking for that exception. A lot of times I think we are taught that finding the ways around the rules makes you more intelligent and merits a badge of honor. Of course I’m talking about petty rules and not things like major laws, but when I’m practiced at breaking the rules, I’m practiced at disobedience, and that has tended to spill over into my spiritual life. I’ve always admired and respected men and women consecrated to the religious life because of their obedience. Obedience is something that God has been trying to grow in me in recent years because rebellion in the spiritual realm is the opposite of virtue and He wants so much more for me. One of the synonyms for obedience that has helped me crave more of it is the word meekness. I associate meekness with humility and the definition of humility is, “freedom from pride or arrogance.” Yep, my disobedience is steeped in pride. Boo. Okay, so now I can get somewhere.
The religious leaders often mistook Jesus’ behavior for rebellion and it was the number one source of their scrutiny toward him and his disciples. However, Jesus’ behavior is the perfect fulfillment of the law and the prophets and that is what he tells us in today’s gospel. The commandments were established to give us the language of obedience to God’s love so that we can treat others according to that ultimate love. Love is at the heart of each and every command and when Jesus gives us the two greatest commandments, he seals this truth in his word. From the Passion Translation, “Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you. This is the great and supreme commandment. And the second is like it in importance. You must love your friend (neighbor) in the same way you love yourself. Contained within these commandments to love, you will find all the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus’ life is the manifestation of living in obedience to God. Love of God will lead us to love of self and love of others. When we spend time nose to nose with God, we will breathe the fragrance of who we are meant to be, and that is the fulfillment of love itself. What does that look like? Jesus Christ. The guide to our meekness, our humility, and our obedience is Jesus and the stories of how he lived and treated people. He was constantly acknowledging his oneness with the Father, and from that oneness, he was able to love everyone with mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and peace. He knew in the depths of his soul that he was love itself because of his obedience to his Father. Obedience to love is what I long for, and Jesus is the only example I need to follow for that.
Reading 1 2 COR 3:4-11
Brothers and sisters:
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit
for anything as coming from us;
rather, our qualification comes from God,
who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant,
not of letter but of spirit;
for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious
that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses
because of its glory that was going to fade,
how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious?
For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious,
the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory.
Indeed, what was endowed with glory
has come to have no glory in this respect
because of the glory that surpasses it.
For if what was going to fade was glorious,
how much more will what endures be glorious.
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
Not that of ourselves we are qualified to take credit
for anything as coming from us;
rather, our qualification comes from God,
who has indeed qualified us as ministers of a new covenant,
not of letter but of spirit;
for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious
that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses
because of its glory that was going to fade,
how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious?
For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious,
the ministry of righteousness will abound much more in glory.
Indeed, what was endowed with glory
has come to have no glory in this respect
because of the glory that surpasses it.
For if what was going to fade was glorious,
how much more will what endures be glorious.
Responsorial Psalm PS 99:5, 6, 7, 8, 9
R.(see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
O LORD, our God, you answered them;
a forgiving God you were to them,
though requiting their misdeeds.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he!
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
O LORD, our God, you answered them;
a forgiving God you were to them,
though requiting their misdeeds.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God.
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Alleluia PS 25:4B, 5A
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Teach me your paths, my God,
and guide me in your truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Teach me your paths, my God,
and guide me in your truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 5:17-19
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, 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.
Therefore, 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."
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, 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.
Therefore, 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."
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