Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
There are some popular interpretations of Jesus that attempt to depict him as a radical, a law-breaker, or a revolutionary of sorts. Often, such depictions of the Lord are used in attempts to justify political positions or personal decisions that conflict with traditional teachings. The words of Jesus in the Gospel today may be difficult for some to accept, but they are crystal clear. Christ himself directly asserts that his purpose is not to abolish even a letter of the law. Rather, he has come to fulfill it. He has come to give it renewed importance and meaning.
So why is this good news for us today? For one, it provides important clarity. Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, doubles down and specifically tells us that the law is important. Not as some arbitrary, outdated code from unremembered antiquity that no longer has meaning for our lives. Rather, the laws that God has established in both the Old and New Covenant were given for our true and ultimate good. They have been designed by our Creator for our highest flourishing. They are guidelines to keep us from hurting ourselves. They are guidelines for right relationship and healthy living.
We live in an increasingly relativistic society where persons are encouraged to find or invent whatever version of truth they desire for themselves. While this can seem liberating or attractive, the reality is that way of thinking actually does tremendous damage to the human person. There is one God who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is not one truth among many. He is the Truth. And this is good news for us because the teachings of our Lord and Creator are specifically aimed at promoting and protecting the highest possible good, happiness, and fulfillment of the human person.