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Pastor's Message
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“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.”
Matthew 5:17-19
When we reflect upon the 10 Commandments, we realize they can be broken up into two basic categories: those that instruct us what to do and what not to do. Only two of them, the third and fourth ones, tell us to do something positive as in to “remember to keep holy the Lord’s day and honor your father and your mother.” The other eight tell us what to avoid, a list of prohibitions that we should all know well. Certainly, the wisdom and relevance of all 10 Commandments are as important now as in the time of Moses, over 2,000 years ago.
Today’s gospel, Matthew 5:17-37, is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus takes some of the Mosaic law and digs deeper into the root of the issues. Indeed, Jesus is not content with surface obedience of commandments, but is challenging us to get at what underpins the commandments themselves so we can be one step ahead of falling and breaking them. So, not only should we avoid adultery but all forms of lust, and not only should we avoid killing someone, but anger too. Our standards of dress have fallen quite low in today’s society; we should remember modesty in our dress. Our speech has become so polluted with profanities; we should remember to avoid words that incite anger, division and animosity.
Jesus extols the sanctity of marriage in this passage as well. The Church sees three indispensable aspects of marriage: permanence, meaning for all of one’s life; fidelity, being exclusive in one’s love for one another; and openness to having children. There is a line that shows the compassion of Christ for those who, though they tried their best, were not able to maintain the covenant of love. In cases of lewd conduct, when one’s spouses’ actions are unrepentant and reprehensible, an understanding is shown that not all unions can reach the ideal of permanence. Whether it is how we honor our Creator through our life of prayer or how we treat our neighbor or spouse, Jesus is calling us to a higher standard of ethics as we seek to live in his commandment of love with all people .
-Fr. Dennis