Having led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery, and delivering unto them the 10 commandments, then having traveled 40 years in the desert, Moses finally brings the Israelites to the threshold of the promised land.
In the powerful book of Deuteronomy, Moses stands at that threshold and speaks, as we heard in today’s reading, the words, and statutes and decrees, that will enable them to live, to survive in this new land. The name of the 5th book of Moses, Deuteronomy, comes from the Hebrew word, debarim, which means “the words”— that is, the words, the laws—that will enable the Israelites to live as the people God was calling them to be.
In the Gospel, the Lord references these words, these commands and laws, “I haven’t come to do away with the law”, he says, and not letter of it, not the smallest part of a letter of it, not even the little dot over the i.
Sometimes you hear the strange idea that because Jesus died for us, that frees us from having to follow God’s laws. That because we are forgiven of our sins past, present, and future, we aren’t bound to follow any sort of law or rule of conduct. That’s certainly not the biblical message, nor the teaching of the Church.
The Law of Moses was for the purpose of teaching people to live in righteousness, in right relationship with God. Right relationship, righteousness, involves our moral conduct—doing good and avoiding evil.
Regarding the law of Moses, the Old Law, the Catechism says that the law of Moses, was a “preparation for the Gospel” which of course also involves moral conduct, in fact, the Lord Jesus, has raised the bar of moral conduct for us Christians in many ways.
Not only are we to follow the moral law found in the Old Testament, but we are to strive for the way of perfection of Jesus Christ. I have not come to abolish the law, the Lord says, but to complete it. Catechism says, “the New Law or the Law of the Gospel is the perfection here on earth of the divine law, natural and revealed.”
Smack dab in the middle of Lent, we have the readings about moral conduct, no doubt, because Lent is about helping us right what is wrong in our lives, to help us identify this sins that we have not quite turned away from, and to strive for the perfection that is Jesus Christ—the word made flesh. Hence, making good Lenten examinations of conscience and a good Lenten confession.
Lent is a threshold. Like Moses standing at the threshold of the promised land, we are invited to examine our conduct, and to bring our conduct, and our hearts into deeper union with the law of love taught by and fulfilled by Our Lord, that we may live, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
That obedience to all the commands of Christ and the Church may mark the life of every Christian.
For all those preparing to enter into Christ through the saving waters of Baptism and those preparing for full initiation this Easter, may these final Lenten weeks bring about purification from sin and enlightenment in the ways of holiness.
For those who have fallen away from the Church, who have become separated through error and sin, for those who reject the teachings of Christ, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.
For those experiencing any kind of hardship or sorrow, isolation, addiction, or illness: may they experience the healing graces of Christ.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy.
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