Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said, whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said
to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that
you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s
throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is
the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a
single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
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Reflection:
Imagine a world without laws.
There would be no order—only chaos and anarchy. Now imagine living without following the laws of your country. Life would be filled with disorder. And what if we were not faithful to the teachings of God? Our lives would lack direction and peace. We would be restless and troubled, for without God’s guidance, our hearts cannot be at peace.
In our first reading from Sirach 15:15–20, we are reminded that God has given us the gift of free will. He places before us life and death, good and evil, and lovingly allows us to choose. If we choose death and evil, the consequences are ours to bear. But if we choose good and life, it is by God’s grace that we receive peace and fulfillment. God does not force us—He invites us. He calls us to discern carefully, to choose the path that leads to Him.
Sometimes, death and evil are disguised as attractive options. They may appear to offer quick satisfaction or worldly success. But in the end, they distance us from God. So we ask ourselves: Where will these choices take us? Will they bring us closer to God or further away from Him?
But what if we choose life? What if we decide to do what is good and pleasing to God? Surely, we will experience peace in our hearts. Our conscience will not trouble us because we are living according to God’s will. And this is what He desires for us—to live a life rooted in goodness, love, and obedience to Him.
In our Gospel reading (Matthew 5:21–32), Jesus teaches us about anger, adultery, and divorce. These are not just laws to follow out of obligation—they are teachings meant to lead us to a deeper, more loving way of life. Just imagine the peace and harmony in our relationships and families if we followed these teachings wholeheartedly. But we must ask: Are we truly living by the teachings of Jesus?
These commandments from the Lord are not burdens; they are light and truth. They are like a lighthouse guiding us through the storms of life. We follow His laws not because we fear punishment, but because we love Him. Jesus is not only the giver of the law—He is its very spirit and purpose.
When we follow His will, we find peace in our hearts and grow ever closer to Him—not just in this life, but in the life to come.
So today, imagine a life filled with peace. Imagine a life lived in deep friendship with Jesus. Would you not want to have that kind of life?—Marino J. Dasmarinas
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