Today was Heritage Sunday in the Presbyterian Church in Canada. I don’t always “do” anything with Sundays outside of the Liturgical year but this one had an interesting tie-in with the Gospel lesson for today. I don’t know if anyone else sees it, but I saw a connection between the Law that Jesus addresses in various places in the Gospels, c.f. Matthew 5:17, and the idea of tradition or heritage.
Jesus talks about fulfilling the law, not abolishing it and this section of Matthew (5:21-37) gives us several examples of what he means. We sometimes think the Law, the Old Testament law with its hundreds of commands, would be more difficult but really, it is actually easier. Memorize what you are supposed to do and not do and do and don’t them. What Jesus introduces is far more difficult because so much of it is inside us. Jesus said following him wasn’t a matter of checking boxes, “I didn’t murder anyone today, check,” but rather an interior orientation of love to anyone and everyone.
As always, give one or the other or both sermons a listen and let me know if I got it right.
“Isn’t the law enough?” Knox Presbyterian (to download, right click and select “Save Link As . . .”)
Blessings,
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