A reading from the holy Gospel of 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: "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.”
Have you ever followed a recipe very carefully, putting in so much hard work only to find out at the end there was something missing. Growing up, my mom taught me how to make flour tortillas. My short attention span was maxed out when my tortillas came out looking like maps of Africa. I dropped any attempts to perfect that skill. My mom had taught me, yet, it was up to me to learn.
During this quarantine I decided to try my hand in making tortillas again. Every recipe I tried had very different amounts of ingredients. The most varying ingredient was the shortening. We went from ¼ teaspoonful to ¼ cup. Room temperature water to boiling water. One recipe called for only one brand of baking powder. Another specified only coconut oil. In time my tortillas went from a hard thick puck to a hard flat disc. And now they certainly are not round, but they taste much better. The outcome depended on the right amount of ingredients and my experience.
Our prayer life can take many shapes and forms. We read books on virtues, capital sins, the sacraments, and the saints. We journal, spend time with God in church, perform good deeds and are busy for God.
Jesus has given us the commandments and the beatitudes. And He promises that “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.”
He has given us the perfect recipe. Let’s follow it.
God Bless You.
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