PERFECTION OF OUR CONSECRATION


SATURDAY OF FIRST WEEK OF LENT

Deut. 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2,4-5,7-8; Mt 5:43-48

The Perfection of the Law 

The readings are about charity as the perfection of the commandments or laws. We recall the purpose for which God made us. He made us as a temple for himself. The Catechism says he made us that we may know him, love, and serve him in this world, and be happy with him forever in the next. The answer from the Catechism expanded the purpose of our creation. If we are to contain God as his temple, we must necessarily know him as an intelligent being. We become one with whatever we know. But because God is the supernatural and infinite being, who alone exists of himself, we cannot know him as we know creatures. We progress in our knowledge of God when we know creatures, but only indirectly. God is above created nature. We know God exists through his creatures, but we do not know him as he is in himself. Only through his word, God’s self-communication, we know him in that manner. Thus, the word of God gives the knowledge of God that will assuage our natural thirst or desire for him. Creation offers direct knowledge of God only when we penetrate creatures to grasp the wisdom with and in which God created them. Creative wisdom is the word of God that brought them into existence.

The word of God constitutes the laws by which he guides us into relationship and communion with him. As we stated yesterday, God lives in us through his word. The words of Moses echo this understanding. “Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God today commands you to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have today made this declaration about the Lord: that he will be your God, but only if you follow his ways, keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and listen to his voice.” By listening to the word of God and meditating on it, we grow in the knowledge of God and his holy will. By knowing the truths of God and contemplating them, the love for God fills us. The fire of love indicates the presence of the Holy Spirit. The possession of his Holy Spirit defines us as his people. Since love inspires or motivates, we are enabled to carry out the will of God on earth.

We are consecrated to the Lord when his love motivates all our actions. So, love consecrates, and consecration is love. We have the reason for our Lord’s emphasis on love in the gospel. “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way, you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike.” By being a temple of God’s word and a channel of his love, we are continuously renewed in his likeness. According to Jesus, God acting through and with us in charity makes us children of God. The Lord desired this communion from the beginning when he said: ‘Let us make man in our image and likeness.” Thus, the happiness that will be ours forever when we continue in the communion of the Holy Spirit starts from here, as the psalm witnesses: “They are happy whose life is blameless, who follow God’s law! They are happy who do his will, seeking him with all their hearts.” God consecrates himself to us through his Son, in the love of the Holy Spirit; we correspondingly consecrate ourselves to him in listening and keeping his word, contemplating and doing it in the love of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, our vocation is to know God’s love and love him in return and through our neighbours.

Let us pray: Turn our hearts to you, eternal Father, and grant that, seeking always the one thing necessary and carrying out works of charity, we may be dedicated to your worship. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.  

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