The Law, written “by the finger of God” on stone tablets (see Exodus 31:18), was essentially the foundation stone of the Jewish people. God Himself gave them the Law after freeing them from slavery in Egypt and establishing them firmly as His Chosen People. It was the mark of their unique relationship with the one true God, and following the Law was their identification card: we are God’s People, because we follow His Law, given to us through Moses. The tablets were kept with them in the revered Ark of the Covenant.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is being very clear that He Himself is the One who is bringing the Mosaic Law to its fulfillment. He is being clear about His ultimate authority and identity, about the truth that He Himself is higher than the Law; this is why He is able to explain its full meaning (which the Chosen People often failed to comprehend) and why He is able to command that His followers go even deeper than the letter of the Law required.
While the Law demands external adherence, Jesus says that this is not enough – one’s adherence to God’s will must be in the interior attitudes and desires of the very heart of each person. In Christ, we are not merely slaves of God, but true children; so it is not slave-like exterior conformity that He desires, but loving obedience to His will, because we know He is Love and can only will what is best for us.
Today’s Gospel focuses on one particular way Jesus drills down on the rules. Regarding taking “false oaths,” some Jews had developed a way to obey the “letter of the Law” but ignore the “spirit of the Law.” They would swear oaths in the name of God if they meant to keep their word, but swear on something else if they meant to break it! Jesus brings this all to the pure or false intentions of the mind and heart, and reminds us that everything belongs to God, so these ways of “crossing your fingers behind your back” while swearing are still wrong. Do not be sneaky or deceitful or two-faced. Be truthful, be simple, be trustworthy. Be true children of the True God.
As the “New Jerusalem” (see Rev 21:2-9) and the “Bride of Christ,” the Church continues to hold out these ideals of purity of mind and heart. Our external observance can draw our hearts in the right direction, but we must open ourselves and offer ourselves to God as fully as we can, and ask Him to do what only He can do: heal our hearts of all duplicity and fear, and fill them with the love of Christ.
La Ley, escrita “por el dedo de Dios” en tablas de piedra (ver Éxodo 31,18), fue esencialmente la piedra angular del pueblo judío. Dios mismo les dio la Ley después de liberarlos de la esclavitud en Egipto y establecerlos firmemente como su Pueblo Elegido. Era la marca de su relación única con el único Dios verdadero, y seguir la Ley era su seña de identidad: somos el Pueblo de Dios porque seguimos su Ley, que nos fue dada por medio de Moisés. Las tablas se conservaban con ellos en el venerado Arca de la Alianza.
En el Sermón del Monte, Jesús deja muy claro que Él mismo es quien está llevando la Ley Mosaica a su cumplimiento. Deja claro su autoridad e identidad supremas, la verdad de que Él mismo es superior a la Ley; por eso puede explicar su significado completo (que el Pueblo Elegido a menudo no comprendía) y puede ordenar a sus seguidores que profundicen aún más allá de la letra de la Ley. Si bien la Ley exige una adhesión externa, Jesús dice que esto no basta; la adhesión a la voluntad de Dios debe manifestarse en las actitudes y deseos interiores de cada persona. En Cristo, no somos simplemente esclavos de Dios, sino verdaderos hijos; por lo tanto, no es una conformidad exterior esclavista lo que Él desea, sino una obediencia amorosa a Su voluntad, porque sabemos que Él es Amor y solo desea lo mejor para nosotros.
El Evangelio de hoy se centra en una forma particular en que Jesús enfatiza las reglas. Con respecto a los “falsos juramentos”, algunos judíos habían desarrollado una forma de obedecer la “letra de la Ley” pero ignorar el “espíritu de la Ley”. Juraban en nombre de Dios si querían cumplir su palabra, ¡pero juraban sobre otra cosa si querían quebrantarla! Jesús relaciona todo esto con las intenciones puras o falsas de la mente y el corazón, y nos recuerda que todo pertenece a Dios, por lo que estas formas de “cruzar los dedos a la espalda” al jurar siguen siendo incorrectas. No sean sigilosos, engañosos ni hipócritas. Sean veraces, sencillos, dignos de confianza. Sean verdaderos hijos del Dios verdadero.
Como la “Nueva Jerusalén” (ver Apocalipsis 21,2-9) y la “Esposa de Cristo”, la Iglesia continúa defendiendo estos ideales de pureza de mente y corazón. Nuestra observancia externa puede guiar nuestros corazones en la dirección correcta, pero debemos abrirnos y ofrecernos a Dios lo más plenamente posible, y pedirle que haga lo que solo Él puede hacer: sanar nuestros corazones de toda duplicidad y temor, y llenarlos con el amor de Cristo.
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com
Feature Image Credit: Gebhard Fugel, art.diocesan.com/stock-photo/the-legislation-of-sinai-16222/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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