Today I was tempted to sleep in and celebrate Mass myself later in the afternoon rather than get up when my alarm roused me. Its an early Mass and only a few people attend. In fact, I commented to the priest after Mass last night, "Did you know that out of twenty people at Mass tonight only you and I were born in Australia?"
He was surprised at my observation. But its true, despite the fact that there are many "Aussies" living in this area, attending the Catholic school or easily able to make an effort and worship God in the Catholic Church, very few bother. Its like God's law binding us to worship Him and "Keep holy the Sabbath day" doesn't apply to "us" but only to the migrant Catholics.
Its not just this area, its pretty widespread. Jesus in today's Gospel reading applauds His disciples who make an effort to teach the Word of God and His commands to those who don't know them.
How often have you reminded your non-practicing work colleagues or friends of the value of keeping God's laws? Make it something positive. For instance I have a quicker spring in my step today as I engage with the people in my workplace after reflecting on God's love and grace in my life today. People notice. They wonder what sets you apart. Don't be afraid to tell them like Moses told the people in today's reading from Deuteronomy: "What people as their god as close to them as this people?"
As part of your daily prayer, make some time to read these Scriptures and Reflections. You won't regret it.
As part of your daily prayer, make some time to read these Scriptures and Reflections. You won't regret it.
Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
Reading 1 Deut 4:1,5-9
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.”
Responsorial Psalm
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word! He spreads snow like wool; frost he strews like ashes. R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Gospel Matt 5:17-19
Meditation: Do you view God's law negatively or positively? Jesus' attitude towards the law of God can be summed up in the great prayer of Psalm 119: "Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day." For the people of Israel the "law" could refer to the ten commandments or to the five Books of Moses, called the Pentateuch, which explain the commandments and ordinances of God for his people. The "law" also referred to the whole teaching or way of life which God gave to his people. The Jews in Jesus' time also used it as a description of the oral or scribal law. Needless to say, the scribes added many more things to the law than God intended. That is why Jesus often condemned the scribal law. It placed burdens on people which God had not intended. Jesus, however, made it very clear that the essence of God's law - his commandments and way of life, must be fulfilled. Jesus taught reverence for God's law - reverence for God himself, for the Lord's Day, reverence or respect for parents, respect for life, for property, for another person's good name, respect for oneself and for one's neighbor lest wrong or hurtful desires master us. Reverence and respect for God's commandments teach us the way of love - love of God and love of neighbour. What is impossible to men and women is possible to God and those who put their faith and trust in God. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit the Lord transforms us and makes us like himself. We are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) because "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). God gives us the grace to love as he loves, to forgive as he forgives, to think as he thinks, and to act as he acts. The Lord loves justice and goodness and he hates every form of wickedness and sin. He wants to set us free from our unruly desires and sinful habits, so that we can choose to live each day in the peace, joy, and righteousness of his Holy Spirit (Romans 14: 17). To renounce sin is to turn away from what is harmful and destructive for our minds and hearts, and our very lives. As his followers we must love and respect his commandments and hate every form of sin. Do you love and revere the commands of the Lord?
"Lord Jesus, grant this day, to direct and sanctify, to rule and govern our hearts and bodies, so that all our thoughts, words and deeds may be
according to your Father's law and thus may we be saved and protected through your mighty help. DAILY BIBLE STUDY "I teach you the statutes and decrees as the Lord, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them." Deuteronomy 4:5 The Lord commands us to hear, remember and obey carefully His Word (see Deut 4:1, 9, 6). We are to obey even the smallest part of the letter of the law (Mt 5:18ff). This assumes that we know God's Word not just in general, but in detail. If we don't know God's Word in detail, it is unlikely we will obey it in detail. To be doers of God's Word, we must first be hearers of the Word (see Jas 1:22). However, the Lord is not necessarily calling us to be Scripture scholars. Our obedience to Him is not based on our intellectual ability and educational background. The Lord is simply calling us to try our best to know His Word. We should study the Scriptures each day for at least a few minutes (see Acts 17:11). Through daily Bible study, we will build up over the years a rich treasury of Biblical wisdom and truth. Thus, we will better know what the Lord expects of us and be better able to obey Him. On Judgment Day, the Lord will not ask us how much of the Bible we know, but how much we tried to know. All He asks of us is our best. Consequently, repent of not trying that hard to know God's Word, ask for God's grace to study the Bible daily, and do the Word that you already know.
Prayer: Father, by Your grace, may I study the Bible every day from today till the day I die or Your Son returns.
Promise: "Whoever breaks the least significant of these commands and teaches others to do so shall be called least in the kingdom of God." Matt 5:19 |
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