Deuteronomy - The Second Law

Homily for Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent

For the third time since the beginning of Lent, the Lectionary for Daily Mass presents us with a reading from Deuteronomy, which literally means the second law. It is so named because the law had already been presented to the children of Israel as they camped below Mount Sinai. Because of their reluctance to enter the Promised Land when they first reached the River Jordan, God had decided that they should wander in the desert for forty years or two generations. The book of Deuteronomy records how Moses prepared these pilgrims for their entrance into the Promised Land because most of them had not yet been born when the law had been first revealed to their ancestors.

Just as in the first two readings from this book, today’s reading accentuates God’s commandments, statutes, and decrees. While some people would think that dwelling on God’s commandments might be somewhat negative, Moses tells the people that obedience will garner them a reputation for wisdom and justice among the neighboring countries that surround them. Those who do not know the God of Israel will, nonetheless, begin to understand the greatness of God and the greatness of the nation that worships that God.

God’s commandments, along with the words of the prophets, informed the expectations of the Messiah for the Jewish people. When Jesus proclaimed that he was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, he clearly stated his purpose as the Messiah. With the words that we read from Matthew’s Gospel today, Jesus makes it clear that his coming is a fulfillment and continuation of all that has been promised and foretold. The commandments found in the Scriptures help believers to give testimony to God by their lives. Just as our ancestors, we are called to act in such a way that others will notice our wisdom, our compassion, and our justice.

Jesus has proclaimed that the greatest commandment is to love God, and the second is to love our neighbor. When we order our lives according to God, we make time for prayer, communal worship, and serving others. When we love God and neighbor, we exude a wholehearted care for others that inspires them to live a life of goodness and compassion. Our lives, therefore, show our faith in the words of the Scriptures.