Homily For Wednesday Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 14th June, 2023

Reading: 2 Cor. 3:4-11; Ps. 99; Matt.5:17-19

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

 WHAT IS THE PATH TO TRUE GREATNESS?

 

Talking about the laws and commandments, Jesus today reminds us that he did not come on earth to abolish what had already been revealed, rather he has come to fulfill them. He came into the world in order to reveal to humanity what true Law really means and to purify the Law to its original meaning and purpose, which has been corrupted through human manipulations. He came to fulfil the entire Law and not to destroy it, contrary to what the scribes and Pharisees accused and think about him.

 

This same notion was critical for Jewish converts in the early Church and also to some people in our own time. And the response of Jesus is still much relevant for us today, especially when he speaks of "fulfilling" rather than "abolishing" the law and the prophets as we have it in our Gospel passage today, and he added that: “the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven. Here, Jesus points out that keeping and teaching the commandments of God is the sure way to achieving greatness not just here on earth but also in heaven.

 

Thus, St. Paul in our first reading tells us that God is the one who has given us the qualifications to be the administrators of the new covenant, which is not a covenant of written letters but of the Spirit: the written letters bring death, but the Spirit gives life. For if there was any splendour in administering condemnation, there must be very much greater splendour in administering justification.

 

Dear friends, today we are reminded that true greatness is found in keep and teaching the commandments of God, of which Jesus tells us that the greatest of these commandments is to love God and love our neighbour. Therefore, true greatness is rooted in our love for God and our neighbours and Jesus emphasis that it is too bad to break one of these commandments, but to teach someone else to do the same is a terrible evil thing to do.

 

Thus, we should ask ourselves today, am I breaking these commandments and teaching others to do the same through my attitude and way of life? Do I following my own opinions contrary to the commandments and laws of love which Jesus has taught us by his way of life? Or am I keeping and teaching these commandments through my attitude and by my way of life? 

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, from whom all good things come, grant us the grace to keep and teach your commandments by our way of life and so obtain the Joy of true greatness in this world and in your heavenly kingdom through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.