Reflection on today's gospel, Matthew 5:17-19
"I was always too strict with my daughter," the mother complained bitterly, "and now that she's gone, she won't have anything to do with me." The woman poured out her story of regret and loneliness, recounting all the mistakes she'd made as a mother, agonizing over the broken relationship between her and her daughter. She realized, maybe too late, that she had laid the law down too hard on her daughter while she was growing up. Now she was suffering the consequences.
The Jewish community, to whom Matthew's gospel was addressed, was critical of Jesus for not reaffirming the law as the way to salvation. Jesus taught that moral righteousness is of value in the kingdom, but even those who break the law have a place in the kingdom. Jesus places the relationship between God and human above maintaining moral righteousness.
Posts
Father Robert,
ReplyDeleteI am excited to see that you have a blog, I look forward to reading more :)
This post reminds me of so many places in the New Testament where we are reminded that Christ dying and rising, we live under a new law. Romans 3: 22-24,
"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Righteousness before God through faith, not the law or works.
That doesn't mean the law is irrelevant, Romans 3: 31, "Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law." But, as Romans 3: 28 directs, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law." God is amazing-- as your post title indicates-- love comes first, because of Christ!