Love is the foundation, fulfillment of the law

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for the Memorial of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

+ Our letter to the Hebrews talks lofty and even confusing language, but basically just confirms and reaffirms the faith of this community to whom this letter is written. They are encouraged to “not become sluggish” in their faith, for they have been given the Christ as their forerunner, and he has become for them “high priest forever.”

This week, we celebrate the Memorial of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr.

The theme of the Gospel from yesterday continues today. The “old way” was to keep the Mosaic Code to the last detail in order to be justified by the law. Even “picking the heads of grain to eat” as they walked through the fields was breaking the law.

Jesus pushed and went further, using an example in which David himself with his men ate the sacred bread that only the priests could eat because they were hungry. And so Jesus sees and tries to help them to see that the law, though good, was not the most important thing. The law of love which he was trying to teach them surpasses all laws; it was both the foundation and the fulfillment of the law. And to put it in a pithy way to make his point, Jesus simply said —

“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.”

It must have been very jarring for them to hear, but it had to be said, and it also needed to be heard.