Gospel MT 5:17-19
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.
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.
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.”
Reflection:
“Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.”
Throughout the gospels, we read about Jesus chastising the Pharisees and scribes for punishing people, for breaking their man-made religious laws.
In today’s gospel, Jesus says He has not come to abolish but to fulfill the law and the teachings of the prophets who had been sent by God.
“I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”
Jesus is talking about us fulfilling (obeying) the Ten Commandments, given to us by God and attested to by the prophets, as opposed to being made slaves to the thousands of petty, man-made laws established by the religious leaders.
“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.”
Jesus uses the word “commandments,” making it clear that if we break them or teach others to do so, we will “be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.”
God’s guidance, as given to us through the Ten Commandments, is not for us alone.
Like the prophets of old, we are also called to be good teachers. Clearly, if we teach others to do wrong, we will be looked upon as having done wrong ourselves.
“But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
As Christians, we attract others and teach them through the power of example of how we live our lives.
In doing so, like the prophets, we can live in the hope of standing among the “greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

“The surest way to convey the teachings of Christ is to do our best to live as Christ to others.” – – Unknown