Lenten Reflection - Day 19 - Christ the fulfillment of the law

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in his homily on this Gospel reading, Fr. Charlie said that we not only must know the commandments and obey and live by them, we must also teach them to others lest we be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. He also said that we fall into two categories: (1) we know the commandments but do not teach them to others or (2) we do not obey or live by the commandments and yet we attempt to teach others and expect them to obey and live by them. We must be obey the commandments and teach them to other. It is both and not either or.

As I reflected on this, I think of mom. Growing up, when she taught us moral values and how we ought to live our lives, she always include God in her teachings. This helped us to know that we should live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God. Also, this help us to know that our moral values are not man-made that can change relative to the desires of man, the time, and the culture in which we live. The moral values that we ought to adhere to come from God. I believe this is one important thing that some parents no longer stress to their children. They do not include God in when they teach their children moral values; thus removing THE course of the moral laws.

I see this happening in our society. People want separation of Church and State yet they forget that our laws are rooted in the laws that God gave us in the Ten Commandments. It is as Jesus said in today's Gospel and it is still very relevant today: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill."

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Gospel of the Day

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."