With Opened Bible
Law of Moses Versus the Beatitudes
This Sunday's Gospel reminds us of what happened on Mount Sinai after Moses received the Tablets of the Law (Exodus 20-21). He spoke to the People to tell them what to do to enter into God's Covenant, known as the Old Covenant. This Covenant, established between God and the Israelites, was based on the Law given to Moses, which included the Ten Commandments.
Jesus went up on a mountain (Luke 6:17) or a high place to teach not the Law (the Ten Commandments) but the Beatitudes.
Here, we can vividly contrast the two great Persons who represented the two covenants (old and new): Moses and Jesus. This comparison will shed light on the evoluton of our faith and the profound signifcance of the New Covenant. The Old Covenant's Law is the thread to follow. The Law states what to do and what not to do: "You shall have no other God before me" (Exodus 20:3). "You shall not kill" (Exodus 20:13). The Law emphasizes the negative more than the positive.
With Jesus, representative of the New Covenant, we are introduced to the transformative power of the Beatitudes. Unlike the codes of the Law, the beatitudes show us the way, 'the how' to enter the Kingdom: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God' (Luke 6). This revelaton should inspire hope and a renewed sense of purpose in our journey of faith.
Those inclined to do what the Word of God commands are blessed and happy. For them, the Law is not a queston of doing or not doing but instead of putng into practce the virtues that Jesus himself lived. Living the beattudes is not a burden, but a source of joy and fulfllment, preparing us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
