Glory to Christ, eternal word of the Father, who is love! V. Lord, your words are spirit, they are life; Only you have words of eternal life!

Guide my steps, Lord, according to your word, and may no injustice rule over me! (Ps 118,133) The law announced in the Old Testament and brought to full fulfillment by Jesus, author of the New Covenant, demands from us listening, openness and action. In this way, we will experience God's care for us and we will bear witness to the values that dignify human existence. On this Lenten journey, let us celebrate our commitment to living and transmitting the divine commandments. First Reading: Deuteronomy 4,1.5-9 Reading from the book of Deuteronomy – Moses spoke to the people, saying: 1“Now, Israel, listen to the laws and decrees that I teach you to keep, so that by doing them you may live and enter into possession of the promised land that the Lord God of your fathers will give it to you. 5Behold, I have taught you laws and decrees as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may do them in the land you are going to enter and take possession of. 6You will therefore keep them and put them into practice, because in them is your wisdom and intelligence before the people, so that when they hear all these laws, they will say, ‘Indeed, this great nation is wise and intelligent!’ 7For what is the reason? great nation whose gods are as close to it as the Lord our God, whenever we call on him? 8And what nation will there be so great, that has laws and decrees so righteous, as this law that I set before your eyes today? 9But be careful! Try with great zeal not to forget everything you saw with your own eyes and let nothing escape your heart all the days of your life; rather, teach it to your children and grandchildren.” - Word of the Lord. Responsorial Psalm: 147(147B) Glorify the Lord, Jerusalem! 1. Glorify the Lord, Jerusalem! / O Zion, sing praises to your God! / For he has strengthened your gates with security / and he has blessed your children in your bosom. – R. 2. He sends his orders to the earth, / and the word he says runs quickly. / He makes snow fall like wool / and scatters frost like ashes. – R. 3. Announce his word to Jacob, / his precepts and his laws to Israel. / No people received so much affection, / he revealed his precepts to no other. – R. Gospel: Matthew 5,17-19 Glory to Christ, eternal Word of the Father, who is love! Lord, your words are spirit, they are life; / only you have words of eternal life! (Jo 6,63.68) – R. Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew – At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: 17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to abolish them, but to give them full fulfillment. 18Truly I tell you, before heaven and earth cease to exist, not a single letter or comma will be removed from the Law until everything is fulfilled. 19Therefore, whoever disobeys even one of these commandments, however small it may be, and teaches others to do the same, will be considered the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever practices and teaches them will be considered great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” – Word of salvation. Reflection: Jesus spoke as one with authority, and not as the scribes and Pharisees. He said: “You have heard what was said to the ancestors… But I tell you…”. This left his opponents intrigued. Was Jesus proposing some new law, contrary to the Law of Moses? No. Jesus comes to respect and bring to full fulfillment the Law and the Prophets, that is, the Holy Scriptures. Not the deformed and decadent law that prevailed in Jesus' time and which he sought to correct, but the true Law, the Law that the Prophets always remembered and taught. So, Jesus' disciples could rest assured: he did not come to eliminate the Scriptures; he came to fulfill and teach the will of the Father, of which he is the faithful and definitive interpreter.

 Guide my steps, Lord, according to your word, and may no injustice rule over me! (Ps 118,133)

The law announced in the Old Testament and brought to full fulfillment by Jesus, author of the New Covenant, demands from us listening, openness and action. In this way, we will experience God's care for us and we will bear witness to the values that dignify human existence. On this Lenten journey, let us celebrate our commitment to living and transmitting the divine commandments. First Reading: Deuteronomy 4,1.5-9 Reading from the book of Deuteronomy – Moses spoke to the people, saying: 1“Now, Israel, listen to the laws and decrees that I teach you to keep, so that by doing them you may live and enter into possession of the promised land that the Lord God of your fathers will give it to you. 5Behold, I have taught you laws and decrees as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may do them in the land you are going to enter and take possession of. 6You will therefore keep them and put them into practice, because in them is your wisdom and intelligence before the people, so that when they hear all these laws, they will say, ‘Indeed, this great nation is wise and intelligent!’ 7For what is the reason? great nation whose gods are as close to it as the Lord our God, whenever we call on him? 8And what nation will there be so great, that has laws and decrees so righteous, as this law that I set before your eyes today? 9But be careful! Try with great zeal not to forget everything you saw with your own eyes and let nothing escape your heart all the days of your life; rather, teach it to your children and grandchildren.” - Word of the Lord. Responsorial Psalm: 147(147B) Glorify the Lord, Jerusalem! 1. Glorify the Lord, Jerusalem! / O Zion, sing praises to your God! / For he has strengthened your gates with security / and he has blessed your children in your bosom. – R. 2. He sends his orders to the earth, / and the word he says runs quickly. / He makes snow fall like wool / and scatters frost like ashes. – R. 3. Announce his word to Jacob, / his precepts and his laws to Israel. / No people received so much affection, / he revealed his precepts to no other. – R. Gospel: Matthew 5,17-19 Glory to Christ, eternal Word of the Father, who is love! Lord, your words are spirit, they are life; / only you have words of eternal life! (Jo 6,63.68) – R. Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew – At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: 17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to abolish them, but to give them full fulfillment. 18Truly I tell you, before heaven and earth cease to exist, not a single letter or comma will be removed from the Law until everything is fulfilled. 19Therefore, whoever disobeys even one of these commandments, however small it may be, and teaches others to do the same, will be considered the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever practices and teaches them will be considered great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” – Word of salvation. Reflection: Jesus spoke as one with authority, and not as the scribes and Pharisees. He said: “You have heard what was said to the ancestors… But I tell you…”. This left his opponents intrigued. Was Jesus proposing some new law, contrary to the Law of Moses? No. Jesus comes to respect and bring to full fulfillment the Law and the Prophets, that is, the Holy Scriptures. Not the deformed and decadent law that prevailed in Jesus' time and which he sought to correct, but the true Law, the Law that the Prophets always remembered and taught. So, Jesus' disciples could rest assured: he did not come to eliminate the Scriptures; he came to fulfill and teach the will of the Father, of which he is the faithful and definitive interpreter.