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 commandmentsand teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandmentswill be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."
REFLECTION
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law
I cannot think of an instance when not following safety instructions was beneficial. Can you? In today's Gospel, Jesus emphasizes that even the smallest part of God's law remains important. The commandments are not arbitrary rules but the map or blueprint for living in harmony with God and with one another.
Precise measurements in everyday life and in human achievements are extremely important. Car manufacturers cannot simply guess on the size of brake components, the steering column thickness or pressure needed in safety systems. A fraction of an inch can mean the difference between a safe car and a deadly accident.
Engineers who build bridges must have accurate measurements for weight, tension, wind resistance and support structures. The slightest deviation in measurement may weaken or collapse the bridge. Architects carefully determine dimensions of skyscrapers, as peoples' lives depend on it.
When NASA sends a spacecraft millions of miles through space, tiny errors can have enormous consequences. A few misguided miles here or there can affect whether a spacecraft misses its destination or if the astronauts have a safe mission.
It is best not to round up or down but to have accurate height and weight when calculating how much anesthesia to give, or how much chemotherapy to administer.
Even something as ordinary as baking can turn out with disastrous results. A baker cannot simply guess the amount of yeast, baking powder, salt, eggs or sugar. If you are short 2 cups of flour and use only 1 1/2 cups, well you can imagine you will not win first prize in the county fair.
God's commandments are precise measurements for all we do. We cannot pick and choose which commandment to follow, how much of the commandment to follow or if we need that commandment at all, because we reason, after all we are kind, loving and very generous and isn't God merciful and compassionate ? Do we really think He will look away from our not following His commandments?
As we trust the engineer, the car manufacturer, the space scientist, the doctor, the baker, we would be very wise to trust in God's wisdom as He knows exactly what is needed for us to become the people He created us to be. The commandments are carefully measured commands that lead to a life full of love, peace, justice and holiness. Faithfully following the small commandments will put us in Jesus' hands uniting our souls with His divinity.
Comments