The Sermon on the Mount of Jesus (Matthew 5:17-37) is His vision of life in the Kingdom of Heaven. It includes His major teachings. It is the path of Christian perfection. Jesus said, “You must be perfect as your Father is perfect!” (Mt 5:48) The perfection of God is His love. Love is the fullness of the law. God is love. He is the author and source of perfect, steadfast, infinite, extravagant and unconditional love. Jesus is the fullness of the law. He is the perfect manifestation of God’s love. He shows us the way to love. He held nothing back not even His own self. He saved us by His total self giving love on the Cross. Because of that total love we are reconciled with God. And those who believe in Him are empowered to become children of God. Jesus said, “I have come not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.” He accomplishes and brings to perfection the law by dying on the Cross. He said, “There is no greater love than this: laying down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13) He fulfills the work of new creation. He brings out the spirit of the law by giving His all and loving to the end. The law is observed out of love. The real meaning of the law has its roots in love for God and love for neighbor. He is he Law in person, the Divine Wisdom incarnate. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus begins with the antitheses, a contrasting idea. You have heard but I say to you. He brings out the real meaning of the law. In His prohibition against murder, He goes to the root of murder. Real uncleanliness comes from within, from the heart. He said that whoever is angry with his brother is liable to judgment. It means that there should be no hostility between human beings. He calls us not to use insulting words with others. Words have the capacity to wound emotionally and spiritually. No one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. For out of the mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. He points out that reconciliation is more important than offering worship and sacrifice because life and worship cannot be separated. By loving our neighbor, we love God. The teachings of Jesus are radical because His Words are life, truth and light that guide our path and lead us to eternal life. He wants us to understand that sin is so deadly that we need to be serious in eradicating it from our lives. We have to recognize our need of grace. Our only hope is the grace that Christ makes available to us. Grace makes us grow in our relationship with Him so that we love the way He loves and we see the way He sees with mercy, courage and truth. When we do that, we follow the way of love
THE WAY OF LOVE
