It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, so let’s talk about true love! Jesus requires His disciples to be full of His truth and love. Our Responsorial Psalm this Sunday begins: “Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 119:1). Our “Way,” Jesus, is indeed blameless. We are called to become like Him in all things. Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and love itself: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Jesus directs us to consistent honesty in the last line of our Gospel reading today: “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No” (Matthew 5:37). Our Lord desires “sincerity of heart” (Psalm 51:6). He calls us to be upright and truthful. When we live with integrity, oaths become unnecessary. Psalm 15 has some words of wisdom to this point. This is such a short Psalm, it’s worth reading it all. As you read, look for God’s teaching on truthfulness and integrity.
Psalm 15: NIV
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? 2 The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; 3 whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; 4 who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; 5 who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
Only those who are honest have access to God’s dwelling place. The one who speaks truthfully and treats others charitably “will never be shaken.” They keep promises even when they come with a cost, or they “hurt.” In our Gospel reading, Jesus raises the bar on what it means to live an upright life. For instance, Psalm 15 states that one must keep oaths at all times; Jesus says: “But I say to you, do not swear at all” (Matthew 5:34). The coming Kingdom of heaven will be a place of perfect justice and supreme peace. There will be no room for anger, hatred, or unforgiveness. This is why our righteousness, or in other words our virtue, must be greater than the scribes and Pharisees who strictly adhered to the letter of the Levitical law.
Christ’s Kingdom is governed by a new law of love: “love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). This law is inscribed in our hearts and accessed by our consciences (Romans 2:15). This new way of living goes beyond the letter of Levitical law. True love requires something more than just following the rules. It requires conversion of heart. Jeremiah foretold of how the law of the new covenant would change the hearts of people: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:33-34). May we seek to know and love God by carrying the law of Christ in our hearts.
Jesus, thank you for calling me to something higher, beyond justice into your new law of love. Please bless me with the graces I need to live as Your true disciple, always full of truth and love.