WEDNESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT - Gospel (Matthew 5:17-19) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“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.” (Mt 5:18)

FIRST READING - Dt 4:1, 5-9

A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy

Moses spoke to the people and said:

"Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees

which I am teaching you to observe,

that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land

which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees

as the LORD, my God, has commanded me,

that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy.

Observe them carefully,

for thus will you give evidence

of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,

who will hear of all these statutes and say,

'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.'

For what great nation is there

that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us

whenever we call upon him?

Or what great nation has statutes and decrees

that are as just as this whole law

which I am setting before you today?

"However, take care and be earnestly on your guard

not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen,

nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live,

but teach them to your children and to your children's children."

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 5:17-19

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his disciples:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

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.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments

and teaches others to do so

will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.

But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments

will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."

WEDNESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT - Gospel (Matthew 5:17-19)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God tells humanity that Jesus did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the words of the prophets, but He came to fulfill them and make the law of God perfect.

The law of Moses and the words of the prophets are also words from God, given by God through Moses and the prophets, both of who were human.

The Old Testament Law is still limited and not perfect, and people still observe the law in an appearance and hypocritical manner.

The Old Testament law teaches us to love only those who love us and to hate those who hate us.

As for God’s law, it is expressed through Jesus, who came to earth to become a human being, lived a complete human life except for sin, and gave humanity the perfect law which is summarized in two words: love and charity.

God's law teaches us to "love all people, even our enemies, those who hate us, and to pray for those who persecute and kill us." Jesus' law always brings eternal life.

For people living on this earth, if we want to achieve the ultimate goal of entering the Kingdom of God, we must keep the perfect law that God gives, which is the law of charity, the law of love that Jesus Himself lived, practiced, and taught to humanity.

Jesus Himself is an example for people to follow in keeping the law: because He lived the law of love, He sacrificed Himself and died to redeem souls.

God's law always brings good things to people, but we must keep the law with a heart that loves God, keeping the law from the heart. If anyone only keeps the law in outward appearance, the law itself will be a punishment for us, and we will have to die for our sins, but if anyone keeps the law out of love for God, then we will have eternal life.

Today, God wants to teach all the children of mankind to live by the perfect law of God, which is the law of love and charity from the heart, and to keep the law out of love for God in order to attain happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The laws that God has given are always closely interconnected, so do not abolish any of the laws that God has given, because the Word of God has spoken: "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."

Thanks be to God. Amen.