Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary time
(II Corinthians 3:4-11; Matthew 5:17-19)
Management and labor sometimes see each
other as inflexible adversaries.
Management grumble when workers will not do anything not specifically
stated in their contract. Workers complain
when managers knit pick about their performance. In today’s first reading and also in the
gospel these concerns are treated as “law.” They are contrasted with the “Spirit” which engenders free
and generous contribution to the common good.
St. Paul writes of a new covenant not
written in stone but on the heart. Participants
in this new covenant will not experience its demands as impositions on
freedom. Rather, they heartily carry out
what needs to be done. The Spirit
working within them makes collaboration natural or, better, second nature. In the gospel Jesus can say that he comes to
fulfill the law because he will dispense the Holy Spirit. The Spirit moves its possessor beyond the “give
and take” of contracts to sacrifice of self for the good of all.
Scripture uses poetic metaphor to explain
the new relationship with God that was forged by Christ. It describes the new law as being a covenant written
on our hearts so that we cannot forget it.
it indicates that we have received the Holy Spirit. Aware of the Spirit’s presence we do not
hesitate to serve. Doing so, we find
ourselves in the company of the saints.
No comments:
Post a Comment