Saturday of First Week in Lent 2023
Today the psalmist declares: “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.” These words begin the longest psalm in the Bible, psalm 119, which is a celebration of God’s Law given to Moses. Each double line contains the word “Torah” or a synonym for the word “law” at least once. And those who keep the law are called blessed, the same description used of the Virgin Mary when she encountered cousin Elizabeth at her visitation: “Blessed are you among women.” You can’t get any more honored or happy than that. Even beyond that, a few years later, in His Great Sermon, Jesus called the meek, the peacemakers, the poor in spirit by the same word, “Blessed.”
Now who in his right mind would argue that point? How can anyone be blessed if he holds some created good as a “god” greater than the True God? Does it really make us better off to misuse the name of Jesus? If we miss religious services on Sunday, are we happier? If we abuse our parents or murder another human being? If we sexually abuse anyone, or lie or steal or covet bodies or property? It is obvious that such activities may make us feel richer or safer or more physically satisfied for a moment, but in the long run who would call them “blessed” or good? No. If every human being followed the Ten Commandments, the world would certainly be a lot better than it is today. And a nation that kept those commandments would be holy to the Lord and admired everywhere, maybe even imitated.
Unfortunately, we are still all affected by the sin of Adam and Eve, the sin of putting ourselves above the Lord, of taking shortcuts to a misperceived happiness. Sin continues to make us worse off, individually and as a culture. Just consider this today: one of our political parties is seeking office all over the land by promising to erase every law protecting children in the womb, and to make us pay for killing those babies–as a bedrock part of their platform. That’s a crime that the Scripture tells us cries out to God for judgement.
Jesus, however, goes a step further than Moses. After all, He came to fulfill the Law, and did so by giving us His own bedrock principle: treat everyone, even your enemies, just like God treats them and you. God loves you; God loves your enemies. Conclusion? Each of us must love our enemy, our enemies. If someone persecutes you, forgive and love him or her. That is a requirement if we want to be children of God the Father, siblings to Jesus, animated by His Holy Spirit. Is that even doable? Not without the grace of God poured out through the Holy Spirit’s actions in our lives. So let’s pray today for that grace, that we may love our enemies and forgive all who harm us, giving them the example to do the same. That, brothers and sisters, is not a pilon, not like extra credit. That is a requirement for our entrance into the kingdom of God.
