Vatican City, 16 February 2014 (VIS) –
The “complete fulfilment of the Law” in the light of Jesus'
teaching in the Sermon on the Mount was the central theme of Pope
Francis' comments before this Sunday's Angelus prayer. The Holy
Father explained to the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's
Square that in his first great sermon, Christ reveals his attitude
towards Jewish Law, when He states, “ Do not think that I have come
to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to
fulfil”, and remarks that fulfilling the Law requires a higher
justice, a truer observance.
“But what does this 'complete
fulfilment' mean? And what does this higher justice consist of? Jesus
Himself gives us the answer with some examples”, continued the
Pope. “Jesus was practical, and always spoke through examples to
make Himself understood. He starts with the fifth Commandment from
the Decalogue: 'You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill ... But I say to you, whoever is angry with his
brother will be liable to judgement”. With this, Jesus reminds us
that words too can kill. … When we say that someone has a serpent's
tongue, we mean that his words can kill. Therefore, not only is it
forbidden to make an attempt on the life of others, we must also
refrain from pouring the poison of anger over them or striking them
with slander. Nor may we speak ill of them. This brings us to the
matter of gossip. Gossip can kill because it can kill someone's
reputation. Gossip is a bad thing. In the beginning, it may seem
enjoyable and fun, but in the end it fills our hearts with
bitterness, and poisons us too. In truth, I am convinced that if
every one of us promised to avoid gossip, we would eventually become
saints!”
Jesus offers those who follow him “the
perfection of love, a love whose only measure is to be without
measure, overcoming any self-interest. Loving one's neighbour is so
fundamental that Jesus states that our relationship to God cannot be
sincere if we are not willing to make peace with our neighbour. …
Consequently, we are called to be reconciled first with our brothers
before expressing our devotion to the Lord through prayer”.
From all this, one may conclude that
“Jesus does not accord importance only to disciplinary observance
and external conduct. He goes to the root of the Law, focusing on
intent and thus on the heart of man, the origin of our intentions,
both good and evil. To guarantee good and honest deeds, legal rules
are not enough; it is necessary to discover profound motivations, the
expression of a hidden wisdom, God's Wisdom, which may be received
through the Holy Spirit. Through faith in Christ, we can open
ourselves to the action of the Spirit, which enables us to experience
divine love. In light of this teaching, every precept reveals its
full meaning as a requirement of love, and they all come together in
the greatest commandment of all: to love God with all your heart and
love your neighbour as yourself".
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