Fulfilling God's Law
Matthew 5:17-19 | 11 June - Saint Barnabas, Apostle on Wednesday of week 10 in Ordinary Time Year C (1)
From the Gospel according to Matthew
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
This passage comes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, a pivotal teaching moment where He addresses misconceptions about His relationship to Jewish Law. The phrase "Law and Prophets" was a common Jewish expression referring to the entire Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).
"Fulfill" (πληρόω/pleroo) - Not merely to obey, but to bring to completion or full expression
"Iota" and "dot" - referring to the smallest Hebrew letter (yod) and serif marks, emphasizing the law's complete preservation
"Least/great in the kingdom" - establishing a connection between teaching, practice, and spiritual status
Jesus didn't come to abolish or discard God's law but to reveal its deepest meaning and purpose. He demonstrates that true righteousness goes beyond mere rule-following to heart transformation. The law finds its ultimate expression in love for God and neighbor, making it more demanding, not less.
In our world of quick fixes and surface-level changes, sometimes I have tendency to seek shortcuts in spiritual growth. Like trying to lose weight by following a diet's rules without changing my relationship with food, I've sometimes treated God's commands as a checklist rather than an invitation to transformation.
This passage challenges us to move beyond asking, "What's the minimum required?" to "How can I more fully express God's love?" When I shifted from merely avoiding conflict to actively seeking reconciliation with a difficult colleague, I experienced the difference between following the letter of the law and fulfilling its spirit.
Act: Choose one commandment you typically view negatively ("don't do this") and reframe it positively. For example, transform "don't lie" into "actively speak truth in love."
Reflect:
Where am I settling for minimum compliance instead of maximum love?
How might my teaching or influence on others reflect God's heart?
What would it look like to fulfill rather than just follow God's law today?
Let us pray: Transform our hearts to fulfill Your law through love.
From the sayings of Saint Hannibal Mary Di Francia:
The Holy Spirit groans in us and calls out the laborers of the Gospel.