He who does the commandments and teaches them shall be called great

METTURDAM

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-19 Today we Celebrate the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, finder of lost things, renowned preacher and inspiration for the Franciscan family.

Jesus’ attitude towards the law of God can be summed up in the great prayer of Psalm 119: “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” For the people of Israel the “law” could refer to the ten commandments or to the five Books of Moses, called the Pentateuch, which explain the commandments and ordinances of God for his people. The “law” also referred to the whole teaching or way of life which God gave to his people. The Jews in Jesus’ time also used it as a description of the oral or scribal law. Needless to say, the scribes added many more things to the law than God intended. That is why Jesus often condemned the scribal law. It placed burdens on people which God had not intended. Jesus, however, made it very clear that the essence of God’s law—his commandments and way of life, must be fulfilled. The law of God is truth and when we live according to that truth it produces the fruits of righteousness, holiness, peace, and joy.
Jesus taught reverence for God’s law—reverence for God himself, for the Lord’s Day, reverence or respect for parents, respect for life, for property, for another person’s good name, respect for oneself and for one’s neighbor lest wrong or hurtful desires master us. Reverence and respect for God’s commandments teach us the way of love—love of God and love of neighbor.

I wish A VERY HAPPY FEAST to Bro.ANTONIN BOREK and all those who have st.Antonys's name. God bless them all.