I Came to Fulfill not Abolish – Jun 14 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

 

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jun 14, 2023, on how Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount although he introduces many new concepts is not abolishing the law but fulfilling it.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus affirms he came not to abolish the old law but to fulfill it, challenging heretics like Marcion who starkly differentiated the God of the Old Testament from the New. Instead, Jesus upheld the prophecies, prefigurations, and the moral laws found in the Old Testament. In fulfilling these laws personally and within us, his mystical body, he made possible with his grace for us to also abide by the moral law. Through Jesus, we have complete revelation and the sacraments that deliver us from sin. He added depth to the moral law by emphasizing its interior dimension and augmenting precepts with counsels. In Jesus, God's revelation is final; claims of additional revelations contradict the concept of Jesus as the complete Word of God. Even private revelations, like those of Fatima and Lourdes, simply underscore already known truths. This immutable revelation will persist until the end of the world. Discarding these commandments or teachings equates to apostasy, while obedience and propagation of these laws lead to greatness in heaven. In the first reading, St. Paul highlights the superiority of the New Covenant, which is not of the letter but of the Spirit. This Covenant gives life and facilitates observance of the moral law. Misunderstanding the scriptures leads to harm, while correct interpretation through the Spirit brings life. The Old Testament, while glorious, was transient and destined to be fulfilled by the everlasting glory of the New Testament.

Bible verses:

Matthew 5:17 - I did not come to abolish but to fulfill - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?17

2 Corinthians 3:6 - The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/3?6

Matthew 5:30 - If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?30

Matthew 5:19 - Whoever breaks one of these commandments will be called least - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?19

Matthew 24:35 - Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/24?35

00:00 – Introduction
00:07 – Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and its Implications
00:28 – Heretics in Early Christianity: A Look at Marcion
01:09 – How Christ Fulfilled the Prophecies and Prefigurations
01:37 – Mosaic Law and its Connection to Christ
02:32 – Christ's Emphasis on the Interior Dimension of the Moral Law
02:42 – Christ as the Final Revelation
04:05 – The Superiority of the New Covenant: St. Paul
04:19 – Interpreting the Old and New Testament: Spirit and Letter

Ave Maria!

Mass: Wednesday 10th Week of Ordinary Time - Wkdy
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/061423.cfm
1st: 2co 3:4-11
Resp: psa 99:5-9
Gsp: mat 5:17-19

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1415

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