Today,
we listen to the Lord saying: «Do not think that I have come to
remove the Law and the Prophets (…) but to fulfill them»
(Mt 5:17). In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us that the Old
Testament is part of the Divine Revelation: First, God made himself
known to men through the prophets. The chosen People gathered on
Saturdays in the synagogue to listen to God's Word. And just as a
good Jew knew the Scriptures and put them into practice, we
Christians should frequently meditate —if at all possible,
every day— upon the Scriptures.
In
Jesus we have the plenitude of Revelation. He is the Verb, God's
Word, that had become flesh, and dwelt among us (cf. Jn 1:14)
to let us know He is God and how He loves us. God wants of man a
response of love, expressed upon the fulfillment of his teachings:
«If you love me, keep my commandments» (Jn 14:15).
Of
today's Gospel text we can find a good explanation in St. John's
first letter: «For this is the love of God, that we keep His
commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome» (1Jn
5:3). To keep God's commandments means that we truly love him through
our deeds. Love is not only a feeling; love also wants deeds, deeds
of love, to live the double precept of charity.
Jesus
teaches us the malice of scandal: «Whoever breaks the least
important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same
will be the least in the kingdom of heaven» (Mt 5:19).
Because —as St. John says— «the man who says, ‘I
know him’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the
truth is not in him» (1Jn 2,4).
At
the same time, He shows us how important good examples may be: «On
the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches others to do the same
will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven» (Mt 5:19). Good
examples are the first element of the Christian Apostolate.
