Jesus The Law Giver
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A (12/02/2023)
(Sirach 15:15-20; Psalms 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34; 1 Corinthians 2: 6-10; Matthew 5:17-37)
By Fr. Samuel Odeh
Those who believe in God must live their lives according to the laws he has given because he is a wise God who desires what is good for us. This is the point our first reading from the Book of Sirach makes. “For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything”. Also, God has given us free will and does not force anyone to obey his laws; we can obey God’s laws if we choose to. “If you will, you can keep the commandments, they will save you…”. When God created us, he left us with the ability to say yes or no to him so that we may obey him in love. Yet in spite of the freedom he has given us, “he has not given anyone permission to sin”. His commands guide us to righteousness. The responsorial psalm today promises blessings to those who walk or lead their lives according to the law of the Lord. The psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of your law”.
In our second reading, Saint Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, talks about wisdom from God, revealed through the Holy Spirit. It is according to this wisdom that Christian believers now live. This wisdom “God decreed before the ages for our glorification” is contained in the teachings of Jesus Christ and shows Christians the way to truly find favor with God.
In our Gospel reading today, Jesus has taken the position of a new Moses and a new lawgiver in the course of his sermons on a mountain. However, he does not give his followers a new law as such, nor free them from the demands of the Law, but fulfills the laws and goes beyond them. Jesus commanded his followers to go beyond the laws of Moses by doing more than the Law demands of them. The Law condemned the killing of a human being. Jesus condemned the anger that would lead to such killings. The Law condemned adultery. Jesus condemned looking at another lustfully to exploit them sexually; adultery begins in the heart and mind. For us Christians, Jesus and his kingdom is the new authority for us. His life and his message of unselfish love and self outpouring is the new law for us. Jesus went about doing good for others and offering himself up on the cross and dying for us sinners. For us Catholics, praying the rosary often is a good way to reflect on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It is also recommended that we go to Confession regularly. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit who led and guided Jesus in his life, death and resurrection will also guide us in matters related to the law and our daily living. May the Lord bless his words in our hearts.
