February 12, 2023: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The commandments of God are more than just rules: they are the means by which we enter into the life of God, and then go forth called and equipped to share it with others.  The language in the first reading from Sirach is similar to what Moses tells the people of Israel as recorded in Deuteronomy as they prepare to cross into the Promised Land.  Psalm 119, the longest psalm, says so much about what it means for us to follow the Law as a way of life.  Indeed, the call comes up throughout the Old Testament to choose the Law and so choose life.

Jesus Christ elaborates on this idea further, saying He has come not to abolish, but to fulfill the Law, so that it penetrates deep in our hearts and we live it more fully, as people who care for one another and act with integrity.

This understanding of the Law is akin to what St. Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians, that it demonstrates the wisdom of God revealed to us, showing us the way to the place God has prepared for us.

God has revealed to us the way we can uphold the demands of the Law, through the Spirit that brings the life of the Risen Jesus into us.

Today is the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, who is esteemed in US history for using his position as president to truly uphold the nation.  And when we think about the power of the Law, what counts is how we use it for a greater good.

Also, today is the anniversary of my Dad's baptism. And it is through baptism that we enter into the life founded upon Jesus Christ, Who fulfilled the Law, and bestowed on us His life, so that we may live what God truly intends for the Law.