Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our Gospel today begins a section on Jesus and his relationship to the law. Its clear right from the get go that Jesus sees his blossoming ministry in complete continuity with the law of Israel. It is also clear that he sees himself as the authoritative voice and interpreter of the law.

He begins this section by using very specific words in regard to his ministry. Words like ‘abolish’ and ‘fulfill’ in Jesus’ heart all point to the covenant he will seal with his blood. He uses the term “Amen I say to you” to indicate his authority to be the definitive interpreter of the law which often has been skewed by human frailty. In the following sections Jesus will give his interpretation of how the law is to be lived and how his disciples are called to new level of holiness and fidelity to the Father. His radical interpretation of the law will be a challenge to his enemies and his followers alike. To accomplish this, they must seek not only to fulfill the law, but interiorize it in a total conversion of heart and mind.

Jesus goes on to offer six vivid ways the law has been misinterpreted by introducing each section to them with the phrase, ‘You have heard it said’ or ‘It was also said’ and then gives his correction to the misinterpretation, ‘But I say to you,’. The first two examples correspond to the laws teaching on murder and adultery. This is followed by two more laws pertaining to divorce and the swearing of an oath, and finally he addresses the seeking of retribution and love of enemies and forgiveness. In each example Jesus challenges the popular interpretation of the law by challenging the motives that have led to its misinterpretation. In each response he calls his disciples to not only fulfill the letter of the law, but delve deeper into their own motivations that lead them to fail to fulfill the law’s objective: loving and forgiving as their heavenly Father does. Mere observance of the law does not lead people to love. At the least it may help people live in an uneasy peace, but without love as its foundation we are at best just existing.

I have friends, we will call them Bob and Carol. They are lovely people. They have a beautiful home, three wonderful grown children and six (and counting) beautiful grandchildren who bring them infinite joy. I and several friends of our group were shocked to find out that they were struggling in their marriage. To everyone outside looking in they were the perfect couple with the perfect life, right down to the white picket fence. It was revealed over time that their marriage began to crack soon after they were wed, but life and kids forced them to hold it all together. It was with the wedding of their youngest child and the empty nest that the cracks that had appeared early on began to resurface. It wasn’t that Carol and Bob had failed to love each other. They did, very much love one another, what happened was that they never really learned what that love meant. Over the years they had treated one another with courtesy. They learned to be nice to one another and for all intents and purposes they lived by the commandments. They didn’t steal, or cheat, kill or covet, but that was it. The problem was while they were being nice to one another it never occurred to them that they needed to go deeper. Real love not only tolerates or respects, but sacrifices. The good news for Carol and Bob, they weren’t past redemption. It was a difficult learning curve after so many years, but they managed to save their marriage and with hard work and commitment they are now truly happier than ever before.

Too often in life while we all want to excel, we settle for mediocrity. Jesus shows us the way to excel. To love as difficult as it may be at times and not to settle or just going through the motions. To love as God does, perfectly and eternally.

Do I settle for the surface, or mediocrity? Do I want to be loved? Maybe I need an investment of myself into the way I love others in order to get what I am looking for. Who are the people I need to not just respect and live in neutrality with – but truly love? How can I start to love as Jesus has challenged me?

Good questions as we prepare for the holy season of Lent in just a few days.

Peace,

Fr. Steve

From the United States Council of Catholic Bishops in regards to Lenten Fasting and Abstinence:

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards.

If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the "paschal fast" to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily his Resurrection.