My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We should thank the Lord Jesus who came to deliver us from darkness, sin and even death. Jesus begins today’s Gospel with the correct understanding of the law. He emphasizes the completion of the Law of God.
Jesus is not abolishing the 10 Commandments, but is demanding of his followers a more perfect, more sincere, fulfillment of them. The whole moral value of any legal observance, including Mosaic Law, comes from the interior disposition of him who observes or keeps the law. No man serves or honors God by any exterior acts – be they ever so arduous or continuous – unless these acts proceed from an intention to honor and please God. This is the charter, the constitution, of the new law, Christianity. The old law is not abolished, but is deepened and given a new life.
Jesus began with a new perspective regarding the law. He based his teaching upon the Old Law but gave it a new way of being understood and practiced in people’s lives.
Therefore, avoiding murder is not enough; the true Christian must remove any inclination to murder by building up true, brotherly love for all men in his heart. Avoiding anger is not enough; the true Christian must have peace of mind and try to build up harmony with others. When we offer gifts at the altar, the true Christian must fill up with love, not only the love of God, but also the love of neighbors deep down in the heart. And above all, the true Christian has to reconcile and be reconciled, to forgive in order to be forgiven.
True and loyal service of God therefore begins in the heart and has its value from this interior disposition. Keeping the 10 Commandments is our way of proving to God that we are grateful, obedient and loyal to him who gave us all we have and who has promised us future gifts infinitely greater still. And just as our love for God is proved by our true love for our neighbor, so the last seven of the commandments impose on us obligations regarding our neighbor. It is only by fulfilling these seven that we can fulfill the first three which govern our relations with God. Let us pray that you and I truly understand today’s Gospel and put it into daily practice. May the Holy Spirit renew our hearts and minds so that we might be free to become true sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.
With love,
Fr. Thuong Hoai Nguyen, Pastor