Thursday, I Week of Advent
(Matthew 5:21.24-27)
The gospel passage today ends Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount.” The evangelist Matthew has pictured Jesus as the great lawgiver surpassing even Moses. The new morality which Jesus has just taught forms the basis of a righteous people who will shine as brightly as New York at night.
Jesus’ new morality judges the Old Law not so much defective as deficient. Simply trying to conform to the set of ideals prescribed in the Old Law, the people will always fall short of the mark. They need internal refortification even more than external norms if they are to standout as righteous. To supply what is lacking Jesus infuses us with the Holy Spirit’s compassionate love. We might compare the development to the building of modern skyscrapers. Previous ages knew multi-storied buildings but only with the use of a steel framework could the super-tall highrises that characterize the famous constructions of the twentieth century be built.
For some of us the word righteous does not settle well. We hear it as self-righteous which is not what Jesus has in mind. Once again, it is his Holy Spirit that Jesus infuses within us that provides the new righteousness. During Advent we turn up our antenna for opportunities to express this new righteousness emanating from within. There are always needy people to assist. There are always people surrounding us to encourage. We can be sure that our expressions of compassionate love in Advent will result in our overwhelming joy at the Lord’s coming.
