Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 5:17-19 

“I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”

This week we’ve started hearing Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount at weekday Mass.  After hearing the Beatitudes two days ago, and the description of Jesus’ disciples as salt and light yesterday, today we hear the start of a fairly long section of the Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 5:17-48] which will conclude the fifth chapter of Matthew at Mass next Tuesday.

Jesus today sets the principle for the teachings He’s about to offer the disciples.  Jesus will give us six examples by which to understand both the principle and the goal which He wants us to incorporate into our daily discipleship.  Jesus sums up His principle with these words:  “I have come not to abolish [the Law] but to fulfill.”

Having said that, in the rest of today’s Gospel passage He strictly directs His disciples to integrity in their lives.  There must be integrity between, as we would put it today, what they practice and what they preach.  With this demand Jesus issues a warning and promise:  “whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven”, while “whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

Every Christian is, by virtue of baptism, called to be a teacher.  We remember the saying attributed to St. Francis of Assisi:  to “preach always, and if necessary, use words.”  As each of us makes our nightly examination of conscience, we look for the integrity Jesus has asked of us, in what we’ve taught others by our actions and words.  If that integrity has been lacking during the closing day, we ask the Lord’s pardon for what we have failed to do, and strength for what we will have the opportunity to carry out tomorrow.