3rd Week of Lent (C) : Wednesday 26th March 2025

“When they come to know of all these laws they will exclaim, ‘No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation’.” (Deut 4:6,8). Moses’ people saw the Law with its moral, ceremonial and legal statutes and decrees as a loving gift of God, fashioned for them to remain in a communion of life and love with Him. These were explained by the prophets for a specific era in salvation history. God, in keeping His covenantal promise of making Israel a great and fruitful nation, was concerned about bringing the Israelites into righteous order in every part of their daily life.

“I have come not to abolish but to fulfill them.” (Matt 5:17). The Old Testament prophetically anticipated the coming of Jesus, a true King who would inaugurate God’s kingdom of love, peace and justice and bring new hearts to true obedience. He would be the new lawgiver, priest, prophet. However, as a sacrificial lamb, He brings the Law to completion by subsuming external observances of the Law to the Law of Love. In Him, there is no dichotomy between the Law of Love and Love of Law. When our hearts are grounded in loving Him, obedience becomes a heart-rooted and holistic one. “Love God and do whatever you will: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the One who is Beloved.” – St Augustine.

Lord, in this Lenten season, transform my heart so that I may obey Your commandments out of love, not fear and punishment.