Gospel: Matthew 5: 17-37
After first giving us the Beatitudes, Jesus then oddly tells us that not one bit of the law is to be ignored until all has been fulfilled. The statement is odd because we have seen, and will see, how Jesus repeatedly ignores different aspects of the law himself. He ignores the Sabbath law when healing others or when the disciples pluck grain while traveling. He disregards the cleansing and purification laws while interacting with those who are unclean. So what is happening here?
Jesus goes through various parts of the law, but notice carefully what parts he emphasizes: those that involve our interaction and relationships with other people: murder, oath taking, divorce, adultery. In each case he will quote the law and then apply the Beatitudes to them. Do not murder means not thinking or saying anything harmful of another - the law of mercy. Not committing adultery means not even looking at another lustfully - purity of heart.
What matters in the law is the law of love - love God, love others. And we only love God when we love our neighbor. God is not loved by building shrines or adorning altars. God does not need these things. God needs us to love others. If we want to build a shrine, build one within our hearts and in the hearts of others. Use the values of the Beatitudes - mercy, meekness, purity of heart, peacemaking, empathy - to care for others, building a shrine of love in our hearts and in the hearts of those for whom we care.
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