Now Hear O Israel

Mass Readings: February 27

First: Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9
Resp: Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20
Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19


Deuteronomy 4:6 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'

God didn't give His commandments to all the people of the world, He gave them to the people of Israel through Moses. God also doesn't give His Word to all the people of the world, but He gives it to us through Jesus Christ and His Church. But just as the people of Israel are to carefully obey the commandments in order to be a witness to the rest of the world, we too, as the church of Jesus Christ, are to carefully keep and obey his Word to be a witness to the rest of the world.
We can't, and we shouldn't expect the "world" to obey the commands of God if we ourselves, to whom they are given, don't keep them. Jesus says remove the plank from your own eye and then you can see clearly the splinter in the others eye. We, as the people of God must take seriously his Word. It is our wisdom and our understanding in the sight of the people. But if we don't keep them, we will, and we should, appear foolish to the people. Who would say they believe in something and then not follow it, except a fool?

Father, thank you for your word and your commandments. Thank you for your wisdom and your grace. Help me, by your Holy Spirit, to follow, and through my actions and faithfulness by your grace, may the wisdom of your word be revealed to the people.

Amen