You shall not kill.
By REV. FR. ANTHONY EWHERIDO
Thursday, June 14, 2018: 10th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 18:41-46; Matt 5:20-26
My Morning Minute With Jesus
You shall not kill.
Today, we read the first of six examples of Jesus’ teaching on the commandments, mostly as they were hitherto interpreted by Israel’s teachers, contrasted with Jesus’ own command on what the Christian attitude should be. Matthew shows us clearly that Jesus is the authoritative teacher of His disciples, who must live according to His teachings, which are here juxtaposed to the norms of the world around them. Basically, Jesus insists that the conventional norms that guide people’s ethics are not good enough for his disciples. Jesus calls his disciples to live by the Spirit, at a level so high that no law can regulate. For, it is Jesus’ way versus every other way. The reason we behave or do things the way we do must be because that is what Jesus commanded us to do. Some people do certain things because that is what everyone does. Christians should act and live only according to the norms laid down by Christ. It is only when we live by Christ’s command of love that we begin to understand the high demands made of us in the Sermon on the Mount.
Lord Jesus, the Way, Truth and Life, teach us your ways. Amen.
Fr. Tony Ewherido
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