3rd WEEK OF LENT
Psalter: Week 3 / (Violet)
Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
1st Reading: Dt 4:1, 5-9
And now, Israel, listen to the norms and laws which I teach that you may put them into practice. And you will live and enter and take possession of the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, gives you.
See, as Yahweh, my God, ordered me, I am teaching you the norms and the laws that you may put them into practice in the land you are going to enter and have as your own. If you observe and practice them, other peoples will regard you as wise and intelligent. When they come tot know of all these laws, they will say, “There is no people as wise and as intelligent as this great nation.“ For in truth, is there a nation as great as ours, whose gods are as near to it as Yahweh, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? And is there a nation as great as ours whose norms and laws are as just as this law which I give you today?
But be careful and be on your guard. Do not forget these things which your own eyes have seen nor let them depart from your heart as long as you live. But on the contrary, teach them to your children and to your children’s children.
Gospel: Mt 5:17-19
Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not think that I have come to annul the law and the prophets. I have not come to annul them, but to fulfill them. I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or dot in the law will change, until all is fulfilled.
“So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them, and teaches others to do the same, will be great in the kingdom of heaven.“
REFLECTION:
The wisdom of the law
The greatness of any nation is measured by the Law that guides it. The Law enshrines the values of a people. That which a people considers valuable and important is carved on stone. Such was the case of Israel, the people of God. The Torah guided the life of Israel.
The Law given at Sinai contain the fundamental laws of any society. In fact, all nations follow the prescriptions of the Law. The first tablet guides religious life, and the second tablet guides human relationships. Even if one were not a Christian believer, still the first tablet remains applicable in its essence, honor and devotion to a diety or superior being . The second tablet on the other hand establishes laws without which any human society cannot exist. What would society be if the second tablet were discarded? Can you imagine a society that would not respect life, property, and relationships? Can you imagine a society that does not believe in truth? What if murder, theft, and lying, and adultery were no longer deemed wrong? Would there be justice in such a society? Would there be honor among people? Would there be peace?
When, therefore, any nation tries to do away with these fundamental laws society would be on the road to perdition. The collapse of great empires were all due to their moral depravity. May it not happen to us!
Daily Reflection
Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.
CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.
Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
