Wednesday in the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time, June 8, 2022

Matthew 5:17-19

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.”

There must have been a fair number of people saying that the Lord was abolishing the Law or the Prophets.  Why would they think that?  This can be understood with the Lord’s teaching about himself as found in the Gospel of John, for instance in his conversations with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman.  He taught them that he was the Son of God and that he would be killed so that all who believe in him might be saved (cf. John 3, 13-16); and that he would give the “water” of eternal life to those to whom he willed (cf. John 4, 14).  This made it seem as though following the Law and believing the writings of the Prophets had no purpose: salvation would be achieved without them.  If that were the case, then this Jesus of Nazareth must be “abolishing” (or, better, “overthrowing”), the Law and the Prophets.

“I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”  The Old Law was given to the Hebrews in the time before grace, and as such it was a Law they were capable of upholding.  In the time of grace, the Lord revealed the fullness of the Old Law, for now, with the necessary help of grace, that could be carried out. “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.”  That is, not the smallest part of the New Law which the Lord reveals in his Sermon on the Mount.  “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.”  Indeed, those who reject the Law and teach others to do so through bad example and scandal, shall not have any part of the Kingdom of heaven, as they have rejected the Law that leads to it.

“But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”  Among these are parents who practice the Faith and teach it to their children, as well as priests and men and women religious who both practice and teach the Faith.  In fact, the best way to teach it is to obey it so that others may see it.  All of us, no matter what our state of life may accomplish this and become great in the Kingdom of heaven.