I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or dot in
the law will change, until all is fulfilled. So then, whoever breaks the least important
of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be the least in the
kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them, and teaches others to
do the same, will be great in the kingdom of heaven.

Reflect

“To fulfill the law.” In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the people that he came not
to abolish but to fulfill the law and the prophets. In Jesus’ time, the law and the
prophets constituted the available part of the Hebrew scripture. Jesus came to
fulfill the scripture by practicing it. The verb plēroō (to fulfill) may also mean “to
bring into completion what has already been started.” The verb kataluō (to abolish)
may also mean “to detach something from something” (i.e., detaching a stone from
a building during demolition). To complete our faith journey, mere knowledge
about the faith we profess is not enough. In front of the challenges pertaining to our
faith, we need to act. In front of the needy other, we must do something. If at this point
of our faith journey we still find it difficult to practice what we profess, we are actually
detaching ourselves from the examples set by Jesus himself. The examples set by
Jesus need to be emulated, continued and fulfilled in our time. We, followers of Jesus,
are called and sent to continue the mission which Jesus has begun, and Jesus is with
us until the law and the prophets are fulfilled through us (cf. Mt. 28:19-20).

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