15 March 2023 – Wednesday of 3rd week of Lent – Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9; Matthew 5:17-19

       God’s law is one of the themes in today’s readings. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses speaks about the law that God is asking the people to respect and observe. In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains that he is not there to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them.  We don’t hear people talking about God’s laws very much in today’s modern world. Instead, we hear a lot about secular justice, about the politically correct thing to do, about not wanting to offend anyone, and about not limiting the freedom of an individual to do what he wants to do in life. We don’t often hear people talking about the content of God’s law, of what he is asking us to do. 

      We who serve in ministry in Catholic and Protestant churches often talk about what we see in society today when we get together.  I have been in ministerial associations of pastors in the areas where I have served in Yazoo City, Tupelo, and Pearl.  We talk about how we Christians live in a society that is becoming more secular. Society seems to be turning its back on God in different ways, going in a different direction. We saw this during the pandemic as well.  During the pandemic, some churches in California successfully brought a case against the California governor before the Supreme Court, alleging that while he has broadly closed down churches, sporting events, liquor stores, retail establishments, and other such secular institutions have been treated differently. A majority of the justices agreed with those churches who brought forth this case. With some of the faithful not coming back to Mass now on a regular basis since the pandemic, we as a Church want to reach out to society and to draw people back into our fold. However, we are also called to embrace God’s law and to proclaim it to the world as well. God is love and mercy, for sure, but out of that love and mercy, God asks for our obedience, expecting a certain standard of conduct from us. 

     I want to mention the saint we celebrate today: Louise the Marillac, who lived in the 17th century in France. Even though she felt called to become a religious sister as a young woman, her confessor encouraged her to marry, only to see her husband pass away not many years into their marriage. She became friends with Francis de Sales, an influential Bishop at the time, and also Vincent de Paul, whose religious order the Vincentians served the poor and the oppressed. Through mission work with Vincent de Paul, she and the women who served with her formed the Sisters of Charity of Vincent de Paul.  De Paul had a vision of sisters who would serve the margins of society, as he told her: “Your convent will be the house of the sick; your cell, a hired room; your chapel, the parish church; your cloister, the streets of the city or the wards of the hospital.” In the last years of her life, in poor health, she traveled throughout France to establish her community members in hospitals, orphanages and other institutions serving the poor. At her death on March 15, 1660, the congregation had more than 40 houses in France. She is a great saint of social justice for us today.  

 

March 7, 2018 – Homily for Wednesday of the 3rd week in Lent – Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9; Matthew 5:17-19

      Moses is a key figures in the Old Testament, a key figure in the Jewish faith.  He is a key figure in our Catholic faith as well.  Moses gives the people their laws and he tells them that they must be careful to observe these laws because they come from God.  Our reading from Deuteronomy reminds us of the importance that God and his law are to have in our daily lives. God’s law is central to the Gospel message today as well. Jesus states that came to complete the laws given to us by Moses and that these laws are to be obeyed. There were probably some in Ancient Israel who hoped that Jesus came to abolish these laws. Jesus places importance in living in the spirit of the law and not just the mere letter of the law.  While this is challenging to do, it is infinitely pleasing to God.

        If you think about it, we don’t hear people talking about God’s laws very much in today’s modern world, do we?  We hear a lot about secular justice, about what is politically correct, about not wanting to offend anyone, about not limiting someone’s freedom to do what he wants.  We want to do what feels good or what is convenient.  But we don’t hear a lot about the content of God’s law. 

         A parishioner once told me that we need to set the bar high in our parish – high for our children, youth, and adults, to take responsibility for forming ourselves in the faith and in attending mass and celebrating the other sacraments of the faith.  We should not accept mediocrity or complacency.  We should live out our faith with passion and enthusiasm and love.  We as a Church want to reach out to members and to draw people into our community of faith, but we are also called to embrace God’s law and to proclaim it to the world as well.  God is a love and mercy.  Out of God’s love and mercy, he asks for our obedience. God expects a certain standard of conduct from us, that is for sure.  Let us approach our faith this Lent with open and obedient hearts. 

3/2/2016 – Wednesday of the 3rd week in LENT – Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9; Matthew 5:17-19

      Moses is one of the main figures from the Old Testament.  He is a key figure in the Jewish faith.  He is a key figure in our Catholic faith.  Moses gives the people their laws and he tells them that they must be careful to observe these laws because they come from God.  Our reading from Deuteronomy today reminds us the importance that God and his law are to have in our daily lives. God’s law is central to the Gospel message today as well. Jesus states that came to complete the laws given to us by Moses and that these laws are to be obeyed. There were probably some in Ancient Israel who hoped that Jesus came to abolish these laws.  Jesus places importance in living in the spirit of the law and not just the mere letter of the law.  While this is very challenging to do, it is infinitely pleasing to God.

        If you think about it, we don’t hear people talking about God’s laws very much in today’s modern world, do we?  We hear a lot about secular justice, about what is the politically expedient or politically correct, about not wanting to offend anyone, about not limiting someone’s freedom to do what he wants to do in life.  We want to do what feels good or what is convenient.  But we don’t hear a lot about the content of God’s law, of what he is demanding that we do. 

         Recently, a member of our parish approached me, saying that we need to set the bar high in our parish – high for our children and youth and adults. We need to take responsibility for forming ourselves in the faith and in attending mass and celebrating the other sacraments of the faith.  We should not accept mediocrity or complacency.  We should live out our faith with passion and enthusiasm and love.  We as a Church want to reach out to members and to draw people into our community of faith, but we are also called to embrace God’s law and to proclaim it to the world as well.  God is a love and mercy.  In this year of mercy, we are emphasizing this in a special way.  But out of God’s love and mercy, he asks for our obedience.   God expects a certain standard of conduct from us, that is for sure.

        This Friday evening, we will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation and this upcoming Monday we will be having our Lenten reconciliation service here at our parish.  Our Church asks us to go at least once a year to the sacrament of reconciliation.  We are to examine our consciences in the light of God’s laws and commandments and to confess our sins before our God.  Let us take this obligation very seriously in the context of today’s readings.