L'Evangile dans ma vie/ The Gospel in my life

Gospel text

(Mt 6,1-6.16-18): 

Jesus said to his disciples, «Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full. If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.

»When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you.

»When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearance or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret will reward you».

The Application

Yesterday we have meditated on the divine perfection and today we are called to put this perfection in practice. In this perfection, there is no need to put ourselves before others, even before God. God will take care of everything, including the divine revelation. We needn’t even search for God or His will, because God will find us, wherever we may be, with a condition that we are fully involved in love and charity.

Once this life on earth is fully anchored in love and compassion, God takes control of our own life. The very act of love and compassion, will certainly give glory to God. We have received our life from God and this life should give praise to God. Since God sees what is invisible to others, particularly all that happens very deep into our hearts, our discernment process and the way we take decisions, He will reward us accordingly, in due time. Have you this Faith in God, the God of goodness?

Action of the day: Be simple and open.

«Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people»

Fr. Antoni CAROL i Hostench
(Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, Jesus invites us to act always for the glory of God, to please the Father, as this is why we have been created for. This is how the Catechism of the Church confirms it: «God created everything for man, but man in turn was created to serve and love and to offer all creation back to him». This is the meaning of our life and our honour: to be liked by the Father, to please God. This is the example Christ left with us. If only the Father could give for each one of us the same testimony as He gave for his Son in the moment of his baptism: «This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased» (Mt 3:17).

Dishonesty of intention would be especially grave and ridiculous if happening in actions such as prayer, fasting or alms, as these are pious and charitable deeds, that is, deeds that —per se— are due to the virtue of religion or deeds we carry out for the love of God.

Therefore, «be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven» (Mt 6:1). How could we please God if, to start with, we are trying to be seen in order to be praised —first of all— by others? It is not that we have to hide from our fellow men so that they will not see us, but it is rather a question, in the first place, of directly addressing our good deeds to God. It does not matter, nor is it bad others may see us: on the contrary, we may give them example with the coherent testimony of our deeds.

But what it does matter —and a lot!— is that we can see God behind our deeds. We must, therefore, carefully examine our true intentions in whatever we are doing, and see that we are not seeking our own interest, if we are really trying to serve the Lord» (St. Gregory the Great).

Gospel text

(Mt 5,43-48): 

Jesus said to his disciples, «You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For He makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and He gives rain to both the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect».

The Application

To our understanding, the divine perfection is not possible in our humanity. However, Jesus seems to propose to us this perfection is possible for us. Let us try to understand what Jesus is proposing to us. First of all, perfection is a fulness of life. This fulness is possible in our own humanity, with in our limit and weakness. The perfection is not in comparison of others or different acts or activities, rather the fulness of what God has created in us.

This fulness is already in us and we are called to bring to its logical conclusion, by making use of all that God has given to us. While trying to fulfill the finality of every talents in our life, the well-being of others should be the priority. The more our life is filled with love and compassion, the closer we will be in the accomplishment of divine will in our personal and social life. It is here that God elevates us from the human perfection towards the divine perfection, because God Himself will be acting in and through us.

Action of the day: Be divine in your humanity.

«You shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect»

Fr. Iñaki BALLBÉ i Turu
(Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, Christ invites us to love. To love without measure, which is the measure of true Love. God is Love, «who makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and gives rain to both the just and the unjust» (Mt 5:45). And man, God's spark, has to keep on struggling every day to resemble him: «So that you may be children of your Father in Heaven». Where can we find Christ's face? On others, on our nearest fellow men. It is very easy to feel sorry for the starving children in Ethiopia when we watch them on TV, or for all those immigrants that every day arrive to our shores. But, what about those at home? What about our co-workers? And what about that distant relative living alone and whom we could pay a visit to, to keep her some company? How do we treat others? How do we love them? What specific deeds of service have we towards them, every day?

It is certainly very easy to love those who love you. But our Lord is urging us to go a step further, «If you love those who love you, what is special about that?» (Mt 5:46). To love our enemies! To love those we know —for sure— will never return our affection, or our smiles, or that favour. Simply because they ignore us. A Christian, truly Christian, should not love “in an interested” way; it is not enough to give a piece of bread or our alms to the kid at the traffic lights. We have to give ourselves to the others. When dying on the Cross, Christ forgave those who crucified him. No reproach, no complaint, not even a wry face...

To love without expecting anything in return. When it comes to loving we need no calculators. Perfection is to love with no measure. And we hold perfection in our hands amidst the world, amidst our daily chores. By doing what we should in every instance, not what we should like to. God's Mother, at the wedding of Cana, in Galilee, realizes the guests have no more wine. And she steps in. And she asks the Lord to make a miracle. Let us beg him to day the miracle of finding it out in the needs of our own neighbours.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mt 5,43-48): 

«Vous avez appris qu'il a été dit: ‘Tu aimeras ton prochain et tu haïras ton ennemi’. Eh bien moi, je vous dis: Aimez vos ennemis, et priez pour ceux qui vous persécutent, afin d'être vraiment les fils de votre Père qui est dans les cieux; car il fait lever son soleil sur les méchants et sur les bons, et tomber la pluie sur les justes et sur les injustes. Si vous aimez ceux qui vous aiment, quelle récompense aurez-vous? Les publicains eux-mêmes n'en font-ils pas autant? Et si vous ne saluez que vos frères, que faites-vous d'extraordinaire? Les païens eux-mêmes n'en font-ils pas autant? Vous donc, soyez parfaits comme votre Père céleste est parfait».

L’Application

Une perfection divine dans le cœur des hommes, est possible, nous affirme Jésus. Personnellement je me trouve difficile de l’être. Pourtant, je peux, en participant à l’humanité de Jésus, essayer d’être parfait, avec mes limites, dans mon humanité. Puisque la perfection est purement divine, sans la grâce de Dieu, je ne peux pas l’avoir.

C’est pourquoi je me dis, avec la grâce de Dieu, je peux être parfait dans mon humanité, comme le Père de Jésus est parfait dans sa divinité. Pour cela, ma vie entière doit être remplie d’amour et de miséricorde, car Dieu est amour et miséricordieux.  Le plus je perfectionne cet amour dans ma vie quotidienne, le plus je perfectionnerais mon humanité et dans cette perfection humaine, Dieu nous élèvera dans sa divinité.

«Vous donc, soyez parfaits comme votre Père céleste est parfait»

Abbé Iñaki BALLBÉ i Turu
(Terrassa, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, Jésus nous invite à aimer. Aimer sans mesure, car c'est vraiment la compassion la mesure de l'amour vrai. Dieu est Amour, «Il fait lever son soleil sur les méchants et sur les bons et tomber la pluie sur les justes et sur les injustes» (Mt 5,45). Et l'homme, étincelle de Dieu, doit lutter afin de Lui ressembler de plus en plus chaque jour «afin d'être vraiment les fils de votre Père céleste». Où trouvons-nous le visage du Christ? C'est dans notre prochain, celui qui est le plus près de nous. C'est très facile d'éprouver de la compassion pour les enfants affligés par la famine en Ethiopie, quand on voit ça à la télé, ou pour les immigrés qui arrivent chaque jour sur nos côtes. Mais, à la maison? Et nos collègues dans notre travail? Et cette parente éloignée qui habite seule et que nous pourrions visiter pour lui tenir compagnie un moment? Comment agissons-nous envers les autres? Comment les aimons-nous? Comment leur rendons-nous service chaque jour?

C'est très facile d'aimer quelqu'un qui nous aime. Mais le Seigneur nous invite à aller au-delà, parce que «Si vous aimez ceux qui vous aiment, quelle récompense aurez-vous» (Mt 5,46). Aimer nos ennemis! Aimer ceux qui nous savons, pertinemment, ne nous rendront jamais l'affection, ni le sourire, ni un service. Simplement parce qu'ils nous ignorent. Le chrétien, tout chrétien, ne devrait pas aimer de manière “intéressée”, il ne doit pas juste donner un morceau de pain ou l'aumône à celui qui attend au feu rouge. Le chrétien doit se donner lui-même. Le Seigneur mourant sur la croix pardonne à ceux qui le crucifient. Sans reproche, sans plainte, sans un mauvais geste…

Aimer sans attendre rien en retour. Au moment d'aimer nous devons ranger nos calculettes. La perfection c'est d'aimer sans mesure. Nous avons la perfection entre nos mains au milieu du monde dans lequel nous vivons, au milieu de nos occupations quotidiennes. En faisant ce que nous devons faire à chaque moment et non ce que nous avons envie de faire. La Mère de Dieu, aux noces de Cana, se rend compte que les invités n'ont plus de vin. Et elle s'avance. Et elle demande au Seigneur de faire le miracle. Nous aussi, demandons-lui, le miracle de savoir Le découvrir à travers les besoins des autres.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mt 5,33-37): 

«Vous avez encore appris qu'il a été dit aux anciens: Tu ne feras pas de faux serments, mais tu t'acquitteras de tes serments envers le Seigneur. Eh bien moi, je vous dis de ne faire aucun serment, ni par le ciel, car c'est le trône de Dieu, ni par la terre, car elle est son marchepied, ni par Jérusalem, car elle est la Cité du grand Roi. Et tu ne jureras pas non plus sur ta tête, parce que tu ne peux pas rendre un seul de tes cheveux blanc ou noir. Quand vous dites ‘oui’, que ce soit un ‘oui’, quand vous dites ‘non’, que ce soit un ‘non’. Tout ce qui est en plus vient du Mauvais».

«Quand vous dites ‘oui’, que ce soit un ‘oui’, quand vous dites ‘non’, que ce soit un ‘non’»

Abbé Jordi PASCUAL i Bancells
(Salt, Girona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, Jésus continue à nous instruire sur les commandements. Les israélites avaient le plus grand respect envers le Nom de Dieu, une vénération sacrée, car ils savaient que le nom se rapporte à la personne, et Dieu mérite tout le respect, tout honneur et toute gloire, par la pensée, par la parole et par les actes. Pour cette raison, sachant que jurer c'est avoir Dieu comme témoin de la vérité que nous disons, la loi commandait: «Tu ne feras pas de faux serments, mais tu t'acquitteras de tes serments envers le Seigneur» (Mt 5,33) Mais Jésus vient pour perfectionner la loi (et en ce faisant pour nous perfectionner-nous dans l'accomplissement de la loi) et va plus loin: «Eh bien moi, je vous dis de ne faire aucun serment, ni par le ciel, car c'est le trône de Dieu, ni par la terre, car elle est son marchepied, ni par Jérusalem, car elle est la Cité du grand Roi» (Mt 5,34). Cela ne veut pas dire que jurer en soi soit mauvais, mais il est nécessaire d'imposer des conditions pour que le serment soit légitime, comme par exemple, qu'il y ait une cause grave, juste et sérieuse (un procès, par exemple) et que l'on jure soit vrai et bon.

Mais le Seigneur nous dit encore: «Quand vous dites ‘oui’, que ce soit un ‘oui’, quand vous dites ‘non’, que ce soit un ‘non’» (Mt 5,37). C'est à dire, qu'il nous invite à vivre dans la vérité dans toutes les occasions, à adapter notre pensée, nos actes et nos paroles à la vérité. Et, la vérité, c'est quoi? C'est la grande question que nous entendons dans l'évangile, posée par Pilate, pendant le jugement de Jésus et à laquelle beaucoup de penseurs au cours des siècles ont voulu donner une réponse. Dieu est la Vérité. Celui qui vit sa vie en étant agréable à Dieu, en respectant ses commandements, vit dans la Vérité. Le Saint Curé d'Ars disait: «La raison pour laquelle si peu de chrétiens agissent avec la seule intention d'être agréables à Dieu, c'est parce que la plupart d'entre eux sont soumis à la plus grande ignorance. Mon Dieu, combien de bonnes œuvres pour le ciel sont gâchées!».

Nous devons nous former, lire l'Évangile et le catéchisme. Ensuite, vivre selon ce que nous avons appris.

Gospel text

(Mt 5,33-37): 

Jesus said to his disciples, «You have also heard that people were told in the past: Do not break your oath; an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept. But I tell you this: do not take oaths. Do not swear by the heavens, for they are God's throne, nor by the earth, because it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem because it is the city of the great king. Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. Say yes when you mean yes and say no when you mean no. Anything else you say comes from the devil».

«Say yes when you mean yes and say no when you mean no»

Fr, Jordi PASCUAL i Bancells
(Salt, Girona, Spain)

Today, Jesus goes on commenting the Commandments. The Israelites had a great respect for the name of God, a fearful veneration, for they knew that names refer to persons, and God deserves all respect, all honor and all glory, by thought, word and deed. This is why —bearing in mind that swearing is to place God as witness to the truth of what we are saying— the Law commanded them: «Do not break your oath; an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept» (Mt 5:33). But Jesus comes to perfect the Law (and, therefore, to perfect us too by following the Law), and goes a step further: «Do not take oaths. Do not swear by the Heavens (...), nor by the earth (...)» (Mt 5:34). We cannot actually say that to swear is bad, per se, but to make an oath legitimate a few conditions are needed first, such as a fair, grave and serious cause (for instance, a lawsuit), and that your oath be true and good.

But the Lord says even more: «Say yes when you mean yes and say no when you mean no» (Mt 5:37). That is, He invites us to live in truth on every instance, to conform our thinking, our words and our deeds to the truth. But, the truth is what? This is the great question, already formulated in the Gospel, during the judgment against Jesus, in Pilate's own words, which so many thinkers, throughout time, have been trying to answer to. The Truth is God. Whoever lives by pleasing God, by abiding by his Commandments, lives in Truth. The Rector of Ars says: «The reason why so few Christians act with the exclusive purpose of pleasing God is because they are immersed in the most terrible ignorance. O God, how many good deeds are lost for Heaven!». It would be good to ponder over it.

We must develop ourselves, to read the Gospel and the Catechism. And afterwards, we must live by what we have learnt.

Gospel text

(Mt 5,27-32): 

Jesus said to his disciples: «You have heard that it was said: ‘Do not commit adultery’. But I tell you this: anyone who looks at a woman to lustfully has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart. So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

»It was also said: ‘anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce’. But what I tell you is this: If a man divorces his wife except in the case of unlawful union, he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery».

«Anyone who looks at a woman to lustfully has in fact already committed adultery»

+ Fr. Josep LIÑÁN i Pla SchP
(Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, Jesus keeps digging deeper on the demands of the Sermon on the Mount. He does not abolish the Law; on the contrary, He brings the Law to its fullness; thus, the observance of the Law is not just supposed to be the simple fulfillment of some minimum conditions to put our house in order. God's Law of Love is given to us for us to reach the summit, but, somehow, we manage to transform it into the law of minimum effort. God is so exacting...! Yes, maybe, but He also has given us the maximum, for He has given Himself to us!

Today, Christ aims high and points out his authority over the sixth and ninth Commandments, those referring to our sexuality and to our purity of thought. Sexuality is our language to express love and alliance; consequently, we cannot trivialize it, nor can we use the other person as an object to selfishly gratify one's pleasure, not even in our thinking! Hence, Jesus' stern assertion: «Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart» (Mt 5:28). We must, therefore, cut out the root of all evil and avoid those thoughts and occasions that would lead us to do what God does not want us to; this is what these words, that may look so radical and exaggerated to us, actually mean; yet, words, those who listened to Jesus, did understand in its expressivity: pull out, cut off, throw away...

Last, but not least, the dignity of the sacrament of matrimony must always be protected, as it is part of God's project regarding man and woman, who, through love and mutual deliverance, become one flesh; and, at the same time, it is sign and participation of Christ's covenant with the Church. A Christian cannot live the man-woman relationship, nor his conjugal life, dominated by the allurements this world: «Don't believe that because you are married you can keep a mundane life and let yourself go to a life of loafing and laziness; on the contrary, you must work more intently, and watch more carefully over your salvation» (St. Basil).

Gospel text

(Mt 10,7-13): 

Jesus said to his disciples, «Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift. Do not carry any gold, silver or copper in your purses. Do not carry a traveler's bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or walking-stick: workers deserve their living. When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person and stay there until you leave. As you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people in the house deserve it, your peace will be on them; if they do not deserve it, your blessing will come back to you».

The Application

Grace is not limited within our churches, it is given to all, by one God, open and free. It is in this freedom that Jesus wanted to establish his Church, a free Church, always in communion with the Father, who will help us to be in communion with our brothers and sisters. The Holy Church proclaims this freedom with her life. It is in this freedom par excellence and in perfect communion with our brothers and sisters that Peace could be born in our society. Our Christian vocation is closely linked to the proclamation of this peace, peace from God to this world, to the fulfilment of the divine will, which is that we may be one, like the Trinitarian nature, in our own diversity. We are called and sent, to heal and console, to listen and to annonce, to be all to all, according the mission entrusted to us. Through our baptism, we are missionaries, like Barnabas, whom we celebrate today.

Action of the day : Be aware that you are called and sent.

«Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life...»

Fr. Antoni CAROL i Hostench
(Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we celebrate the apostle Joseph, «a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means “Son of Encouragement”)» (Acts 4:36). He was generous from the beginning: «And who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the Apostles' feet» (Acts 4:37). He brought St. Paul to the Apostles, who were afraid of him and, with Paul, they opened the apostolate to all peoples. First, in Antioch, where «when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people were added unto the Lord» (Acts 11:23-24). His apostolic zeal was an example, as he was putting into practice the Master's commandment: «Go and proclaim this message ‘The kingdom of heaven is near’» (Mt 10:7).

«Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them» (Acts 13:2), proclaimed the Holy Spirit: they went to Cyprus and Asia Minor, and suffered greatly for their Lord. They had differences of opinion and even parted because of Mark, who quitted half of the way, and Paul did not accept him on their next journey; but Barnabas knew how to trust Mark and, later on, we will see him as a great collaborator of Peter and Paul.

Let us learn not to classify people into boxes, for «souls, like good wine, improve with time» (St. Josemaria), when we support them with our confidence and we love them, for «nobody can be really known unless we love him» (St. Augustine).

When we see somebody weakening or retreating, let us persevere just as Barnabas did, whose namesake also means “brave man”, and “he who encourages and enthuses”. These are characteristics very much in need of today. This is why we turn to the Lord with the words of the Collect: «God our Father, you filled St. Barnabas with faith and the Holy Spirit and sent him to convert the nations. Help us to proclaim the Gospel by word and deed».

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mt 10,7-13): 

«Sur votre route, proclamez que le Royaume des cieux est tout proche. Guérissez les malades, ressuscitez les morts, purifiez les lépreux, chassez les démons. Vous avez reçu gratuitement: donnez gratuitement. Ne vous procurez ni or ni argent, ni petite monnaie pour en garder sur vous; ni sac pour la route, ni tunique de rechange, ni sandales, ni bâton. Car le travailleur mérite sa nourriture. Dans chaque ville ou village où vous entrerez, informez-vous pour savoir qui est digne de vous accueillir, et restez chez lui jusqu'à votre départ. En entrant dans la maison, saluez ceux qui l'habitent. Si cette maison en est digne, que votre paix vienne sur elle. Si elle n'en est pas digne, que votre paix retourne vers vous».

L’Application

La grâce ne soit pas être limitée à l’intérieur de nos églises, elle est donnée à tous, par un Dieu, ouvert, et libre. C‘est dans cette liberté que Jésus a voulu établir son Église, une Église libre, toujours en communion avec le Père, qui nous mettra en communion avec nos frères et sœurs. Elle les annonce par sa vie. C’est ainsi, dans cette liberté par excellence et en communion parfaite que la Paix pourrait naître dans notre société. Notre vocation chrétienne, est étroitement lié à l’annonce de la paix, à l’accomplissement de la volonté divine, ce que nous soyons uns, comme la nature Trinitaire. Par notre baptême, nous sommes missionnaires, comme Barnabé, dont nous fêtons aujourd’hui.

«Le Royaume des cieux est tout proche. Guérissez les malades, ressuscitez les morts…»

Abbé Antoni CAROL i Hostench
(Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, nous fêtons l'apôtre Joseph, «que les Apôtres surnommèrent Barnabé, ce qui veut dire "fils de la consolation"» (Ac 4,36). Dès le départ, il fut généreux: «Il avait un champ, le vendit, apporta l'argent et le mit aux pieds des Apôtres» (Ac 4,37). Il amena saint Paul aux Apôtres, quand tous avaient peur de lui, et c'est avec lui qu'il entama l'apostolat auprès des païens. D'abord à Antioche, où «il encourageait tout un chacun à demeurer, d'un cœur ferme, fidèle au Seigneur, car c'était un homme de bien, rempli de l'Esprit Saint et de foi. Une foule considérable s'adjoignit ainsi au Seigneur» (Ac 11,23-24). Son zèle fut exemplaire, qui mettait en pratique le commandement du Seigneur: «Proclamez que le Royaume des cieux est tout proche» (Mt 10,7).

«Mettez-moi donc à part Barnabé et Saul en vue de l'œuvre à laquelle je les ai appelés» (Ac 13,2), proclama l'Esprit Saint: ils partirent pour Chypre et l'Asie Mineure, et ils souffrirent beaucoup pour le Seigneur. Ils connurent aussi des différends et se séparèrent à cause de Marc, qui les abandonna à mi-parcours, et Paul ne voulut plus de lui pour le voyage suivant; mais Barnabé sut lui faire confiance et nous verrons plus tard Marc grand collaborateur de Pierre et de Paul.

Apprenons à ne pas cataloguer définitivement les gens, car «les âmes, comme le bon vin, s'améliorent avec le temps» (saint Josémaria), quand on leur fait confiance et qu'on les aime, puisque «nul ne peut être compris si on ne l'aime pas» (Saint Augustin).

Quand nous voyons quelqu'un faiblir ou faire machine arrière, persévérons, comme Barnabé, surnom qui signifie aussi "homme de l'effort" et "celui qui anime et enthousiasme". Ce sont là des tempéraments dont nous avons aujourd'hui besoin. C'est pourquoi nous accourons au Seigneur avec ces mots de la collecte: «Accorde-nous d'annoncer fidèlement, par la parole et par l'exemple, l'Évangile que [Barnabé] proclama avec vaillance».

Gospel text

(Mt 5,17-19): 

Jesus said to his disciples, «Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to remove but to fulfill them. I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or stroke of the Law will change until all is fulfilled. So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches others to do the same will be great in the kingdom of heaven».

The Application

Each and every one of us have our own priorities. And these priorities need not be the same. Jesus is affirming his priority, particularly his desire to accomplish the divine will. The law and the prophets teach us the divine priorities and if we wish to please God, then we should imitate the divine priorities as our own, as Jesus himself did, in his humanity. Once we remain connected with the divine priorities, then, we too can pray with conviction, just like prophet Elijah, and the fire will come down from heaven.

Action of the day: Remain faithful.

«I have not come to remove but to fulfill them»

Fr. Miquel MASATS i Roca
(Girona, Spain)

Today, we listen to the Lord saying: «Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets (…) but to fulfill them» (Mt 5:17). In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us that the Old Testament is part of the Divine Revelation: First, God made himself known to men through the prophets. The chosen People gathered on Saturdays in the synagogue to listen to God's Word. And just as a good Jew knew the Scriptures and put them into practice, we Christians should frequently meditate —if possible, every day— upon the Scriptures.

In Jesus we have the plenitude of Revelation. He is the Verb, God's Word, that has become flesh, and dwelt among us (cf. Jn 1:14) to let us know He is God and how He loves us. God wants of man a response of love, expressed upon the fulfillment of his teachings: «If you love me, keep my commandments» (Jn 14:15).

We can find a good explanation of today's Gospel in St. John's first letter: «For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome» (1Jn 5:3). To keep God's commandments means that we truly love him through our deeds. Love is not only a feeling; love also wants deeds, deeds of love, to live the double precept of charity.

Jesus teaches us the malice of scandal: «Whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven» (Mt 5:19). Because —as St. John says— «the man who says, ‘I know him’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him» (1Jn 2,4).

At the same time, He shows us how important good example is: «On the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches others to do the same will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven» (Mt 5:19). Good example is the first element of the Christian Apostolate.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Mt 5,17-19): 

«Ne pensez pas que je suis venu abolir la Loi ou les Prophètes: je ne suis pas venu abolir, mais accomplir. Amen, je vous le dis: Avant que le ciel et la terre disparaissent, pas une lettre, pas un seul petit trait ne disparaîtra de la Loi jusqu'à ce que tout se réalise. Donc, celui qui rejettera un seul de ces plus petits commandements, et qui enseignera aux hommes à faire ainsi, sera déclaré le plus petit dans le Royaume des cieux. Mais celui qui les observera et les enseignera sera déclaré grand dans le Royaume des cieux».

«Je ne suis pas venu abolir, mais accomplir»

Abbé Miquel MASATS i Roca
(Girona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, nous entendons le Seigneur nous dire: «Ne pensez pas que je suis venu abolir la Loi ou les Prophètes: (…) mais accomplir» (Mt 5,17). Dans l'Évangile d'aujourd'hui Jésus nous apprend que l'Ancien Testament est une partie de la Révélation divine: D'abord, Dieu se révèle aux hommes à travers les prophètes. Le Peuple élu se réunissait les samedis à la Synagogue pour entendre la Parole de Dieu. Et de la même façon qu'un bon Israélite connaissait les Saintes Écritures et les mettait en pratique, nous, les Chrétiens, devrions méditer plus fréquemment les Saintes Écritures —tous les jours, si possible.

En Jésus nous avons la plénitude de la Révélation. Il est le Verbe, la Parole de Dieu devenu chair vivante (cf. Jn 1,14), qui vient à nous pour nous faire connaître qui est Dieu et combien Il nous aime. Dieu attend de l'homme une réponse d'amour, manifestée dans l'accomplissement de son enseignement: «Si vous m'aimez, vous resterez fidèles à mes commandements» (Jn 14,15).

Nous trouvons une bonne interprétation du texte de l'Évangile d'aujourd'hui dans la première lettre de Saint Jean: «Car l'amour de Dieu, c'est cela: garder ses commandements. Ses commandements ne sont pas un fardeau» (1Jn 5,3). Garder les commandements de Dieu est la preuve que nous l'aimons avec des œuvres et en vérité. L'amour n'est pas seulement un sentiment; il requiert aussi des œuvres, des œuvres d'amour, il requiert de vivre le double précepte de la charité.

Jésus nous enseigne aussi la malice du scandale: «Donc, celui qui rejettera un seul de ces plus petits commandements, et qui enseignera aux hommes à faire ainsi, sera déclaré le plus petit dans le Royaume des cieux» (Mt 5,19). Car, comme nous le dit saint Jean, «Celui qui dit: ‘Je le connais’, et qui ne garde pas ses commandements, est un menteur: la vérité n'est pas en lui» (1Jn 2,4).

En même temps, Jésus nous apprend l'importance du bon exemple: «Celui qui les observera et les enseignera sera déclaré grand dans le Royaume des Cieux» (Mt 5,19). Le bon exemple est le premier élément de l'apostolat chrétien.