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
What I want to reflect on are the words of Jesus in the Gospel, “Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away…” Perhaps I shouldn’t get stuck on something so short and incomplete and consider how Jesus is guiding his disciples. Perhaps I should reflect on the faithfulness of the apostles and the conversion of Christians at Antioch in the first reading. Jesus’ words struck me though. They stopped me in my tracks and cornered me, if you will, into asking some questions. Upon reading those words, my mind reacted with “Heaven will pass away?! Isn’t that what we are striving for? Isn’t that where I am trying to get to?” And whenever I react to something, I try to figure out why I reacted the way I did. “Why is that what caught my attention? Is heaven really worth it? If it will be gone one day, then what’s the point? Is heaven what I really should be striving for?” And the more I asked, the more I kept getting NO. The more I saw how I was missing the point. The more I understood how what I’m really striving for, what my heart really desires is union with God. Closeness with Him. After all, it’s not a what or where that I am after, but a whom.
I am reminded once more of how my focus can shift from God at the center. It happens quickly and inconspicuously, yet we have been given everything we need here on earth to be near Him- the sacraments, each other, even our path and purpose have been given to us.
How absolutely incredible to be able to experience Heaven on Earth. To be so close yet so far away all at the same time. Mother Theresa might have said it best when she said “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts there can be no more hurt and only more love.” God isn’t the one who goes anywhere- He is constant; it is us that move away from Him or closer to Him. Maybe we have to ask ourselves who or what are we striving for? Maybe we have to ask ourselves, who or what is our focus on? And maybe we have to be brave enough to step out in faith and ask the Lord to bring us closer to Him.
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Mary Rose
Jun 16
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How very thought provoking! Many questions… yet there is a constant in our life if we allow Him.
How very thought provoking! Many questions… yet there is a constant in our life if we allow Him.
Thank you, Allison, for sharing your thoughts.