First Reading
Deuteronomy 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
Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
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
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.”
REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
TITLE: OBEDIENCE SCHOOL
"Hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live." –Deuteronomy 4:1
The life of a Christian is "a life of obedience" (1 Pt 1:2). As followers of Christ, we obey Him in all things, even to death on the cross (see Phil 2:8). We obey God's commandments carefully. "Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations" (Dt 4:6). We obey God's law in detail. Jesus said: "Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true" (Mt 5:18). We obey the Lord exactly, "not turning aside to the right or to the left" (Dt 5:32). We obey the Lord joyfully. To do God's will is our delight (Ps 40:9). We obey the Lord thankfully. It is a privilege to obey the Lord. Our obedience is careful, detailed, exact, joyful, and thankful. We obey because we love the Lord (see Jn 15:10).
We do not obey the Lord scrupulously. We know the Lord loves us. Christianity is not having a perfect record, but receiving God's forgiveness and mercy. We do not obey the Lord begrudgingly. We don't pout when we don't get our way. Instead, we love the Lord.
This Lent, thank God that there is more to life than doing our own thing. Thank Him for the opportunity to obey and thereby love Him.
PRAYER: Father, forgive me for disobeying You. Give me the grace to love You through obedience to the Church and the Bible.
PROMISE: "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?" –Dt 4:7
PRAISE: Dr. Norm asked Jesus to heal his patient of her migraine headache. The pain left her at once.
...may the good Lord bless His holy word in our hearts...
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