In today's readings Jesus is delivering a very difficult lesson to his disciples. Likewise, Moses is sharing with his people the words spoken to him by God.
Jesus is making clear that the kingdom of God will not be one like the one that his disciples have come to know in seeing how the elders, scribes and Pharisees live. The kingdom of God is an invitation to obedience not an invitation to be a place where some chosen few rule over others.
What is this invitation to obedience? How many of our Catholic community would include the word "obedience" in any answer describing our Church and the faith we profess?
Moses said and Jesus reiterated in his own words: "Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees as the Lord, my God, has commanded me."
Obedience to what? The Ten Commandments, the teachings and laws of the Church built upon the teachings of Jesus Christ.
But for people of our time and culture this invitation to obedience is, perhaps, the greatest challenge in accepting and living the faith we profess. We are a people raised, in our nation and many other places throughout the world, in a cradle of freedom. Individual rights! These happen to be uppermost in most people's minds when it comes to how we live our lives today. They are far more important than the Ten Commandments!
We live in a culture where "do as you believe you should do" is much more powerful that "what do the commandments or laws of our Church direct us to do." We live at a time when even the individual is seemingly guaranteed the right to determine the moral laws for his/her life.
In an age when birth control, abortion, homosexuality, murder, stealing and ruining another person's reputation are accepted practices even among the followers of Jesus Christ, law, especially the Ten Commandments, has lost its place. "I determine what is best for me" has become the operative thinking.
These words of Moses and Jesus are truly examples of why it is so difficult to live the Catholic faith today. During this season of Lent, let us take time to reconsider our personal commitment to our faith.
