1st READING
Most of the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy relate the Law as the leading thinkers of Israel developed it. There are many aspects of the Law that we would not accept today, particularly those laws that command us to kill the persons who break them, including adultery, disrespect for parents et al, all of which require the death penalty according to these books. It is important that we acknowledge there are time-conditioned elements that have made their way into the Scriptures. It is up to the Church to detail those that fall under this category.
Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
1 Moses spoke to the people and said: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 5 Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees as the Lord, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy. 6 Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has Gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? 8 Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today? 9 “However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.
P S A L M
Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
R: Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
12 Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. 13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. (R) 15 He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! 16 He spreads snow like wool; frost he strews like ashes. (R) 19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them. (R)
GOSPEL
Jesus does not declare war on the Law of Moses; He simply challenges us to be reasonable about how we understand and apply them. This is not an unreasonable request as it will certainly help us to be more merciful in the way we judge people’s actions. Perhaps we need to learn that we cannot simply impose laws from on high. We need to convince people of their reasonableness so that they will freely accept them as both right and good.
LIST
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.
Matthew 5:17-19
17 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. 18 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. 19 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.”
think: We need to learn that we cannot simply impose laws from on high.
T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Genesis 4-6
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