Father's Monday, 6/08/2020 Message

It was wonderful to be able to return to celebrating Daily Mass this morning.  The beginning of normalcy.  Today in the Gospel from St. Matthew we starting reading what we call the Sermon on the Mount.  It goes from Chapters 5 - 7, and, it will be our focus of attention for the next three weeks.  For us who are blessed to have heard, and, read this for many years, we can think exactly that thought, that we have heard this many times, what more can I learn.  As you often hear me say, there is never a “been there, done that,” when it comes to Scripture, or being open to what God wants us to know.  Perhaps one way to do this is to think of yourself as a first century Jew, who may be familiar with the Old Testament, or, at least with Moses. 

He was seen as a great prophet, and a friend of God.  He would often go up the mountain to speak and converse with God.  God even gave him the law.  So for Jesus to fulfill the Old Testament, and, prove that she was the Messiah, or, the Christ, He would start with what the people knew, and were familiar with, and, then gradually lead them to the fullness of truth.  As the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity revealed to us yesterday, Jesus, as Second Person of the Holy Trinity is God, equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 

The difference between God, and man is that man must receive from God, whereas, God, being all powerful, gives.  So, at this beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is showing the difference between Him and Moses.  Moses received the Ten Commandments, but Jesus is giving the teaching of His Own authority. Let us pray to be as attentive to what will be revealed to us, as those people who were physically present with Jesus. 

God bless you,  
Fr. Robert