(Also memorial of SS. Joachim and Anne, Parents of the B.V.M.)
God’s Commandments – The Road to Freedom and hundredfold fruition
Introduction
“I am the Lord your God. I brought you… out of the house of slavery.” These opening words of the commandments mark the meaning that the Old Testament gave to God’s commandments. They are the charter of fidelity for us, God’s partners, to the God of the covenant. No one can belong to God’s free people without being faithful to these fundamentals. The commandments are the road to freedom and to belonging to God. Their basis is love, which makes us faithful to God and to people.
Matthew interprets for his community and applies to their situation what the parable of the sower means for them. When he began to tell the parable of the sower, Jesus said: “listen.” When Matthew explains it and adapts it to his community, we are told again: “Hear.” We have to listen to the parable and see how it applies to ourselves. By listening we have also to listen to the signs of our time, how the word of Christ the sower applies to our time and our people, that the word may be accepted and bear fruit.
1 Reading: Exodus 20:1-17
In those days: God delivered all these commandments: “I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished him who takes his name in vain. “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you. In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD has blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. “Honour your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you. “You shall not kill. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him.”
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. (John 6:68c) Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple. R.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye. R.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just. R.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb. R.
Alleluia: cf. Luke 8:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 13:18-23
Jesus said to his disciples: “Hear the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the Evil One comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
Commentary
It is sometimes said in our days that the Ten Commandments have lost their relevance. What can the commandments possibly say to modern society? But is the problem with the Decalogue or with us? Let us look at the first three commandments and ask some hard questions.
Few people totally abandon their belief in God and turn to the worship of pagan idols. But who can deny that there is erosion in our belief and therefore an implicit idolatry? There is the man in the television commercial with car keys in hand who says, “I want to live well, with the car I want, the house of my choice, plenty of vacation time. That’s all I need to be happy.” There is no room for God in such an attitude.
And reverence for God’s name? Today many of the rules of propriety and civility have vanished. Not only are the names of God and Christ bandied about, but much of our speech seriously violates the norms of human decency. Political correctness hits the main fabric of Christian belief. People openly campaign against the Church at will.
As for Sunday worship, it is shaken in developed countries, and in traditionally Christian countries it has sunk to historic lows. If we are not careful, the decline in religious observance will happen here as well.
We need a new world evangelization, a revitalization of the faith. We have been gifted in Christ the Lord. Gifts require thanks, and that means recognition of who God is and what God has done. We must be continually aware of those false attractions that can choke our faith.
The recognition of God, reverence for God, and the worship of God—three ideas as old as the Decalogue and still meaningful today.
Blessing
“I am the Lord your God… who brought you out of the house of slavery.” God has made us free. Let us stay free, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!