PURPOSE OF KNOWING THE TRUTH - 03/23/22 (Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent)

Matthew 5:17-19

17 "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18 For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For the full readings, click here: 

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings

For more information on the Optional Memorial of St. Turibius de Mongrovejo, click here:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/march-23-saint-turibius-of-mogrovejo-bishop/

Blessed Wednesday! God is merciful that despite our sins which offend Him, He forgives us when we repent of them. He also grants us knowledge of the truth of His teachings and commandments. Our Lord has a purpose for it, and it is to love God and make Him loved by others. 

By being faithful to the teachings of Jesus which He reveals to the Catholic Church, we can have the hope of everlasting life. We can avoid sins that will endanger our souls to hell. This is why it is important to follow all of His commandments. As Jesus reveals to us, not even a dot from the law of God will pass away. The ceremonial laws and judicial laws of the Old Covenant are no longer binding today. However, the moral law will always be binding to us because by obeying it out of love for Him, we can be united with our Merciful Lord. We have longing for happiness, and this will only be fulfilled by believing in the teachings of Christ and living the faith. As such, it is necessary for us to remain on guard, so our faith in Him will always deepen rather than vanish. We should be firm in our faith especially today where the commandments of our Lord are no longer respected. Unfortunately, the culture no longer promotes the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church on marriage, right to life of unborn children and many more. 

Another reason why God reveals to us His teachings is for us to make Him loved by other people. This happens when we lead more souls to Him. By being faithful to His commandments, we can be good examples to others who may be more open to God's grace. It's true that leading a sinful lifestyle can scandalize souls and make them farther away from Christ. At the same time, it's also true that we can be witnesses by persevering in holiness, so more people will be inspired to follow Christ. We can also directly help other people by teaching our faith to them, especially to young children. Our society needs to have a generation that is filled with love for God, and this will take place if they deepen their relationship with Him, even starting from a young age. 

Do we have faith in all of the teachings of Jesus and the Catholic Church? Do we lead more people to Him through our words and actions? We should take the words of Christ seriously. Let's always spend time expressing to our Lord that we believe in all of the truths He reveals to His Church. This is truly pleasing to Him. May we also pray that more people, especially children, will live their faith and follow His commandments. People who act contrary to God's laws will not enter the Kingdom of God if they do not repent for them. And, those who humble themselves and obey Him will be exalted in heaven.

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic