Five G
Reflection on Wednesday, 3rd Week of Lent, 6 March 2024, DBPH Chapel, Talamban
In my reflection last Wednesday I mentioned the “Four-G” which the Gospel passage spoke about: the golden gateway to greatness before God, which is no other than servant-hood (do you still recall?). There is no doubt that being at the service of everyone to the point of suffering and even death for the sake of Christ will make us truly great in God’s eyes. In today’s gospel reading, the same idea is being reiterated by Jesus, especially when he said “… until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place..”
This teaching is actually a re-echo of what Moses had already taught in the Old Testament regarding the Israelites’ past, present and future. Regarding the present, Moses said that it is very important for the Israelites to observe faithfully the commandments, statutes and decrees coming from the Lord. Why? It is because in the past God had been so good and merciful to them. He had performed many wonders and signs in order to free them completely from their bitter slavery in Egypt. And so according to Moses, the constant remembrance of all those miraculous deeds will be a big help for them to remain faithful to their covenant with God, their all-powerful Redeemer.
Now how is this tied to their future? For what purpose should they strive to keep God’s commands? The purpose is no other than this: that they may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of their fathers, is giving to them. You see, for the Israelites the past, the present and the future are all interconnected. Should they want to enter the Promised Land, they should observe God’s commands; and for them to keep God’s commands, they should keep remembering how good God had been to them.
In today’s Gospel reading, however, more than just striving to observe faithfully God’s law, Jesus is underlining the importance of also teaching others how to do the same. He said “Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” And the inverse statement is definitely also true: “Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.”
Hence we, who today are actively involved in the ministry of teaching and educating people so that they may live in accord with God’s will and commands, should actually be rejoicing at the certainty that we are already numbered among the greatest in God’s Kingdom. This implies therefore that our Lenten observances should not only be limited to prayer, penance and almsgiving, but should also include teaching the ignorant and bringing sinners back to God. In other words, the spiritual works of mercy are as important as the corporal works of mercy. Let us remember that the 4G or the golden gateway to greatness before God is not just serving God in a generic way. In particular it is also the noble service of GUIDING and teaching others how to be GOOD and faithful in the sight of God. 5G is now the updated version of 4G: the golden gateway to greatness is guiding others to goodness.
May this Holy Mass encourage us and increase our effort to teach, educate and guide our kids and young people including the ignorant and the wayward to always follow (or return to) the right path and to do only what is good and what is most pleasing in God’s eyes. GiGsss!
P.S. Yesterday, in my facebook account, I reposted photos showing our second year student catechists (who are currently enrolled in the Evangelium program of Don Bosco Formation Center Lawaan) occupied with their practice teaching in some public schools. They are aware that teaching catechism is not a high paying job and will definitely not make them rich. Nevertheless they are willing to complete their formation and training in response to God’s call to mission. Isn’t Jesus referring to them as the greatest in God’s Kingdom?
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