The Gospel of Matthew I reflected on today is nestled in with some especially important teachings of Jesus when He addressed the crowds of people who followed Him. As His reputation grew, He traveled throughout Galilee teaching in synagogues and curing people’s illnesses. In His ‘Sermon on the Mount’ (Matthew 5: 1-12), Jesus taught the beautiful Beatitudes. Not only did He teach them, He lived them, and His life put flesh on the commandments.
Those who didn’t trust or believe in Jesus thought He was breaking the law. He reassured them that not only did He believe in the commandments but even more, He was inviting people to be mindful of how they lived the commandments. He reassured them: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill…And …whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest…in…heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19)
Jesus told the crowds who followed Him (and us) “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” (Matthew 5:18).
The ultimate law of God, as brought to fulfillment in Christ Jesus, is love. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul and with all your strength.” And “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22: 34-40) This is the ultimate fulfillment of the law of God.
In light of the perfection of the law of love, we can hear Jesus saying that the details of love, even the smallest detail, is of grave importance. In fact, the details are what makes love grow exponentially. The smaller the detail one is attentive to in love of God and love of neighbor, the greater is the fulfillment of the law of love to the greatest degree.
How do we put flesh on the commandments during the pandemic and the necessary focus on dealing with racism in our world? What are the Beatitudes of Covid-19 and equal justice under the law? Love is in the details and the details magnify this glorious fulfillment of God’s law of love. The answers are modeled by Jesus, his disciples, and all who we witness each day working in healthcare and essential services; by those who courageously speak out against any injustice to a brother or sister created in the image and likeness of God. May our prayer and our lives be inspired by them. Our actions should be infused with a sense of love; our hearts should not be hardened. We must always aim for reconciliation because love of God and love of neighbor are inextricable. Blessed are those...
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