Today’s liturgical readings invite us into a deep contemplation of God’s Word, not as a dry set of regulations, but as a life-giving force that brings us “near” to the Divine. From the ancient plains of Moab with Moses to the Sermon on the Mount with Jesus, a consistent thread emerges: the Law is a gift intended to lead us into the very heart of God.
A Law of Nearness and Wisdom
In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites that their laws are their “wisdom and understanding” in the eyes of all nations. The beauty of these statutes is found not just in their justice, but in the radical intimacy they foster. Moses asks a question that resonates through the centuries: what great nation has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to Him? The Responsorial Psalm echoes this unique privilege, praising God for revealing His “laws and decrees” specifically to His people. It is a celebration of a God who speaks and who “sends out his word to the earth” to guide His children with the same care He uses to shower down the snow and frost.
Fulfilling the Law in the Spirit of Christ
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus clarifies His mission by explaining that He did not come to abolish the Law, but to complete it. He raises our gaze, showing us that the “dots and strokes” of the Law find their ultimate purpose in the law of love and the spirit of the Gospel. To be “great in the kingdom of heaven” is to live these commandments from the inside out, allowing the Word to become flesh in our daily actions and finding holiness in the smallest details of obedience.
Divine Mercy and the Permanence of the Word
This theme of completion through love is beautifully mirrored in the Diary of Saint Faustina. She understood that obedience to God’s word was the surest path to union with Him. While Deuteronomy speaks of God’s nearness through the Law, St. Faustina experienced this nearness through Divine Mercy. In entry 1187 of her Diary, Jesus tells her that what she has written about His mercy is “but a pale droplet in the face of the ocean,” reminding her that He is her strength and power. Furthermore, just as Jesus speaks of the permanence of the Law, Faustina reflects in entry 359 that God’s word is living and never changes, remaining for all eternity. She prayed for the grace to be faithful to His words, even in the smallest things, recognising that every “dot and stroke” of God’s will is a pathway to sanctity.
The Witness of Saint Constantine II
Today we also remember Saint Constantine II, whose life reflects a profound intersection of the Gospel’s call to faithfulness and the complexities of duty. In the history of the Church, we see how leaders were called to uphold the laws of God while navigating the challenges of their time. His life serves as a reminder that the Gospel must be lived in every station of life, whether in the cloister or on a throne. Like the teachings in today’s Gospel, his legacy reminds us that those who strive to keep the commandments and lead others toward the truth of the faith are seeking that greatness promised in the kingdom of heaven. Much like St. Faustina sought to be a vessel of mercy, we look to the saints to see how they embodied the exhortation of Moses to never let the things our eyes have seen, the wonders of God’s grace, slip from our hearts.
An Invitation to the Altar
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Lord, grant us the grace to love Your Law and to see Your face in the statutes You have given us. May we, like St. Faustina and St. Constantine II, remain faithful to the “dots and strokes” of our daily duties, trusting that You are always near when we call upon You.
St. Constantine II, pray for us.
St. Faustina, pray for us.
Jesus, I trust in You.
FIAT. FIAT. FIAT.