Sirach 15.16-21 | 1 Corinthians 2.6-10 | Matthew 5.17-37

Today we begin with Mother Church the sixth week of Ordinary Time, which will be short because we will begin Lent next Wednesday, preparing ourselves for the mystery of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ at Easter.

Today the evangelist Matthew speaks to us about the definitive interpretation of the Law of Moses given by Jesus to His disciples, in the context of the Sermon on the Mount. The Law was a concrete expression of divine justice and Jewish wisdom in the defense of life.

Jesus said that the righteousness of His disciples should be greater than the righteousness of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. The purpose of the Law of Moses was to fulfill divine justice. In the Judaism of Jesus' time, the teachers of the Law were the legitimate interpreters and transmitters of the Law of Moses, and the Pharisees were a radical religious group that considered themselves faithful observers of the Law. It is worth remembering that Jesus was neither a teacher of the Law nor a Pharisee, and yet He gave His disciples the definitive interpretation of the Law of Moses, as a faithful observer of the Law.

According to Jesus, the spirit of the Law (its original meaning) was more important than the text of the Law (according to Jewish traditions). Unfortunately, both the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees focused more on the rigidity of the text of the Law than on the love and mercy of the spirit of the Law.

Furthermore, it was common for the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees to be content with fulfilling only the minimum of the Law of Moses. So Jesus motivated His disciples to fulfill divine justice fully, even in the details, so that thoughts and feelings do not materialize into sin.

More specifically, the spirit of the fifth commandment (thou shalt not kill) was to prohibit murder, but also all forms of violence (such as verbal violence). The presentation of the offering before the altar (liturgical dimension) only made sense if accompanied by reconciliation with one's brother (community dimension).

Catholic Tradition justifies the existence of Purgatory (as a penitential time after death in preparation for Heaven) with this teaching of Jesus about condemnation to prison and not leaving it before paying the last penny.

The spirit of the sixth commandment (thou shalt not commit adultery) was to prohibit the sexual act, but also all forms of disordered desire (such as glances and touches). Conjugal love blessed by God was indissoluble, except for reasons of irregular union.

Finally, Jesus forbade the common Jewish practice of swearing by God, encouraging His disciples to honor what they said.

Like Jesus, let us value the Law of Moses and transmit its spirit, its original intention, to others, without limiting ourselves to the minimum fulfillment, bearing in mind that "love is the fulfillment of the Law" (cf. Romans 13.10).

Today the author of the book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) speaks to us of the wisdom of the Lord, who guides man, but who respects his choices, giving him what he decides.

Being strong and powerful, the Lord sees everything and knows the works of man. And he who observes the commandments is kept by them.

The author recalled that the Lord did not command anyone to act wickedly and did not give anyone permission to sin.

Let us be wise: our best decision is to observe the Law of the Lord, which preserves our lives from the destruction that sin produces.

Today the apostle Paul speaks to us in his first letter to the Corinthians of the mysterious wisdom of God, unknown to the powerful of this world, but destined from eternity to the glory of those who love God.

The apostle said that ignorance of God's wisdom led the powerful of this world to destroy life by crucifying Jesus, the Lord of glory.

Paul affirmed that the Spirit revealed to Christians what was hidden from their eyes, ears, and hearts, since the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

It is true that human wisdom present in science and technology has brought important advances to society, such as Medicine, Engineering, and electronic equipment. But we know that human knowledge has also produced weapons of mass destruction, seriously threatening social security and the environment.

Let us seek the wisdom of the Spirit, which surpasses human wisdom, in order to defend and preserve life, constantly threatened by the powerful of this world.

The penitential season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which is a mandatory day of fasting and abstinence. Let us make concrete resolutions to overcome evil through the practice of good.

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