Sirach 15:15-20
1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Matthew 5:17-37
Like we teach children to wash their hands before eating, we only explain why we wash our hands when they are a bit older to ensure they are not blindly fol-lowing our instructions but truly understand the reasons behind. That way, they would wash their hands faithfully out of choice because they know it is for their well-being. They may even explain it to other children so that more would understand and do the same.
In this Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus teaches us not to observe the command-ments literally. We must live the spirit of the commandments, follow a higher order of morality and achieve a level of righteousness that makes us fit for heaven, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:19). Having said this, Jesus leaves the choice to us. He said, “whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20). We are given the freedom to choose. At the end of the day, we will be accountable for our choice of how we live on earth. In fact, humankind has been given this freedom of choice since the days of the Old Testament, “If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and they will save you” (Sirach 15:15).
Let us see how Jesus teaches us to observe the fifth commandment “Thou shalt not kill” in order to achieve a higher level of righteousness. He said “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; … But I say to you that the one who is angry with their brother or sister, will be liable to judgment; … and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to the hell of fire” (Mt 5:22). Jesus our Redeemer comes to this world not only to save us from our sins but He also wants us to stay away from what looks like a behaviour flaw, an outburst of uncontrolled passion, emotion or feelings (anger) that might lead to a grave sin in the fifth commandment (murder). What Jesus asks for is peace of heart and he denounces “murderous anger and hatred as immoral” (Ref CCC 2302). Indeed, the Church considers wrath one of the seven capital sins, called "capital" because they engender other sins and vices (Ref CCC 1866).
To perceive the commandments in the way that Jesus teaches us, we have to have an open mind like children “Blessed are you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth; you have revealed to the little ones the mysteries of the kingdom” (Ref. Gospel Acclamation Mt 11:25). As St. Paul proclaims in the second reading, what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, “God has revealed to us through the Spirit (1 Cor 2:10).
Let us join the Psalmist and pray to the Holy Spirit to enable, empower and guide us to choose the way of truth so that we “may behold wondrous things out of your law”, “walk in the law of the Lord” and “observe it with our whole heart” until the end (Ps. 119).