3rd week in Lent, Wednesday – 26th March 2025 – Deut 4,1.5-9; Mt 5,17-19
Least or Greatest
Today’s Gospel passage is taken from the Sermon on the Mount that contains some of Jesus’ most challenging teaching. Jesus has declared that He has come to complete the purpose of the Old Testament, not to discard it. He further specifies that His listeners are to transcend to a higher level in understanding the law and their underlying meaning. Those who relax the commandments in the law will be called least in the Kingdom. Those who keep and teach them will be called greatest in the Kingdom. Here, Jesus is speaking of both persons – those who do and those who do not obey the law of Moses – are in the Kingdom of heaven. Nevertheless, He points out about one’s rewards or status in that kingdom. Up to Jesus’ time perfect observance of the Law was focused on external acts, as clearly exemplified by the Pharisees and scribes. However, Jesus shows that true observance must also be in the heart and mind. One can silently or secretly obey the commandments out of love for the Lord.
