Posted by The WORD in other words (2018) by Fr Atilano Corcuera SVD – Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay City
Wednesday 10th Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus sums up the whole law and the prophets in the love of God and love of neighbor. This law of love will never pass away. This will be the sure mark of those who follow Jesus. In times of conflicts, problems, persecutions, troubles, sickness and even death . . . Jesus commands us to stick to loving. “Pray for those who persecute you.” “Love your enemies.” “Offer your other cheek.”
On the other hand it is ironic that Jesus was branded as a law-breaker. True, he broke many so-called laws, because the “laws” he broke had become false interpretations of the true law. These were laws that had lost their spirit. Laws that had wandered from the true path of love.
Nowadays we still observe laws that are devoid of the spirit of love. Take the case of a family that engages in verbal abuse with each other before going to Mass on Sundays. They have to go to Mass to obey a law. Verbal abuse also happens outside the family. Sometimes we give to the poor only after some hurting words had been hurled in their direction.
Laws obeyed without love will pass away; but love expressed in laws will never pass away. The centrality of love in our life should remain. St. Paul would say, “Above everything is love.” St. Augustine affirms that in his words, “Love and do what you like.”
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