I came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets …

Saint Matthew’s Gospel was written primarily for Christians who had belonged to the Jewish community.  His Gospel is structured with many references to the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament.)  In it there are five main talks or discourses of the Lord modelled on the five books of the Torah.  The first main discourse of the Law is the most important – the Sermon on the Mount.  Just as Moses went up Mount Sinai to bring the Ten Commandments, God’s Law, to the people, Jesus climbs the mountain of the Beatitudes to present the New Law to the people.  The attitudes and lifestyles of the Christian must reflect the Law.  We are called to be selfless givers, to be eternal lovers of the Father.  We are called to rejoice in His presence in our families, and not to be minimalists in the faith.  We are called to find meaning in the laws that God gave us so that our external actions might truly be a reflection of our internal attitudes.  A tall order – definitely.  That is why we go to Mass and why we pray that God, by His grace, make us be better Christians.

… but to fulfil them!