Today's readings remind us that we must follow God's law. In other words, we must follow the rules set in place by God. The first reading tells us, "If you choose you can keep the commandments," this tells that that it is up to us. God does not force us. We have to freely choose. God gives us fire and water, life and death. We have to make a choice. These are the choices set before us. Regardless of what choice we make, God has predetermined rules without our being. This is the Natural Law. It guides our conscience to seek the good and just; to surpass our animalistic tendencies. God has set these rules in us, as well as, the rules of how nature must operate. Science calls this the "Laws of Physics." Everything was predetermined before the ages via God's wisdom. Jesus reminds us that He did not come to remove the law, but to fulfill it. This means that the law will always be in place, but He came to show how they are supposed to be followed. Human beings love to distort things. They have a tendency to over legislate.
This includes those in the Church. We make rules and then add rules on top of those rules and on top of those etc. In the end, we have an entanglement of law that stifle progress and serve no purpose. We see this in the Scripture where the Pharisees took the law and made up all kinds of interpretations that forced them to be trapped in a mechanic display of religion that never internalized. Today, we see in the Catholic faith those who call themselves "Traditionalists" or "Radical Traditionalists" who live just to criticize others and do not interpret the laws and rubrics of the Church via their intended purposes. We then have quarrels about receiving Holy Communion only on the tongue or the sanctuary only having males present and no females. The Gospel is lost in all of this. These individuals turn into rabid gossips who are bitter instead of Christians full of love, faith, hope and joy. This is why following the law must be accompanied by a spiritual life.
Readings:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021620.cfm
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for reading and for your comment. All comments are subject to approval. They must be free of vulgarity, ad hominem and must be relevant to the blog posting subject matter.