Matthew 5:17-19

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.”

Opening Prayer: Abba in heaven, teach me, your little child, your ways, and give me the grace to live according to your law. I want to experience heaven in its fullest.

Encountering Christ:  

1. Fulfilling the Law: There can be such fear when we surrender to the Lord’s will—fear that life as we know it will change in some dramatic way. The Lord put the disciples’ hearts and minds at ease when he told them that he had not come to abolish the law that they held so dear, but to fulfill it. Following Our Lord in this life also requires adhering to his law and undergoing sometimes painful changes to our thoughts and actions as we are slowly transformed into the saints he calls us to be. May we unwaveringly give him our fiat, trusting that the Lord has our best interests in mind. 

2. Break and Teach or Obey and Teach?: Each of us has a serious responsibility, as “those who have been given much” (Luke 12:48), to care for “little ones”—children or those new to the spiritual journey. After all, we have been given faith, many gifts of the Holy Spirit, grace through the sacraments, and a Christian community to support us on our way to heaven. Our responsibility is to share our experience of faith with others in a genuine spirit of humility, full of the love of Christ. 

3. Least or Greatest?: Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Those who obey the commandments and teach them. Sharing the love of Christ with others is one of the best ways to make God’s kingdom come alive in our own hearts. But even when we silently or anonymously obey the commandments out of love for the Lord, God’s kingdom grows. “I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifice to all ecstasies. To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul” (St. Therese of Liseux, The Story of A Soul).

Conversing with Christ: Dearest Jesus, may all of my choices to teach and obey here on earth be pleasing to you so that your kingdom grows as you have promised.

Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will spend a few minutes reviewing the Ten Commandments and reflect on how well I am living according to your law.