DAILY- HOMILY

February 12, 2017 - 6th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Green

Sir 15: 15- 20 / 1 Cor 2: 6 - 10 / Mt 5: 17 -37

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:     Mt 5:17- 20, 27- 28, 33 - 35

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to remove them but to fulfill them. I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or stroke of the Law will change until it is fulfilled.

"So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches others to do the same will be great in the kingdom of heaven.

"I tell you, then, that if you are not righteous in a much broader way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said: Do not commit adultery. But I tell you this: anyone who looks at a woman to satisfy his lust has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart. So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pull it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. ..

"You have heard that people were told in the past: Do no break your oath, an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept. But I tell you this: do not take oaths. Do not swear by the heavens, for they are God's throne, nor by the earth, because it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem because it is the city of the great king."

REFLECTION

In today's Gospel reading Jesus demonstrates to us why he is the New Law. He shows this either by revising the rule of the ancestors or by completely changing them. When he speaks of the commandments he does not refer to the teaching of others to support his claim as any credible teacher would do but rather he quotes God himself who revealed to him the true path to salvation. Jesus' source of knowledge and of his teaching is much superior to that of any learned man of his time.

We are therefore not surprised at the growing animosity of the teachers of the Law towards Jesus. Jesus publicly declares and claims for himself the exclusive authority to speak of God's Law.

The teachers of the Law could not accept how this son of a carpenter who had had no education in their ranks could come out of nowhere and challenge their traditional and esteemed roles as interpreters and defenders of the Law of Moses. The appearance and teaching of Jesus were indeed an embarrassment and an insult for them.

In the Gospel reading Jesus invites us to be open, tolerant and understanding of possible change. Yet, often as was the case with the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law at the time of Jesus, pride and supposed self-esteem hinder and delay consideration and acceptance of a new order. We find it difficult to be displaced from our esteemed place in society, especially in our place as teachers of the Law. Our insecurity makes us reluctant to relinquish our post and leads us to protect our position and boast of our achievements.

Perhaps we should realize that in our lifetime changes may be good and necessary and that, just because another may be better than ourselves, our value as persons is of necessity reduced. We pray to God to help us accept difficult but necessary changes in our life. We seek his enlightenment to see the larger picture and to trust in his promise that with his help and grace all will be well in the future.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     DIANE STEPHANIE CHING

     GILBERT CHEANG 

     STELLA TEJADA DY

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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