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This week’s Clergy Corner
taken from February 16 Bulletin
This week’s Gospel presents a profound reflection on the fulfillment of the law, the importance of righteousness, and the call to an elevated standard of moral living. In this passage, Jesus clarifies His relationship with Jewish law, asserting that he did not come to abolish it but fulfill it. He challenges his followers to not only adhere to the laws, external requirements, but to internalize its spirit and intention, emphasizing the need for a deeper, more transformative righteousness.
This establishes that the law is still relevant but that its true meaning and purpose are realized through Him. Jesus goes beyond the letter of the law and focuses on heart and intention behind the actions. For example, He intensifies the commandment against murder, equating anger with murder, suggesting that inner hatred is just as harmful as physical violence. This teaches that moral purity starts in the heart and mind, not just in outward actions.
Moreover, Jesus deepens the laws demand for reconciliation, urging that we must seek peace and resolve conflicts quickly, because anger and unresolved issues can hurt our relationship with God. The teachings also address the importance of fidelity in relationships, extending the command against adultery to include lustful thoughts, emphasizing the need for purity in both actions and desires.
In reflecting on this passage, we are challenged to move beyond mere legalism and to embrace the essence of the law, which is love purity, and reconciliation. Jesus calls his followers to a higher standard of righteousness that transcends external observance and demands an inner transformation of the heart, urging us to live with integrity and humility in all of our relationships.
Peace, Deacon Rich