This rather long passage that we've just heard is from the Lord's Sermon on the Mount.
And we know here he is basically presenting to us at least two.
I see three, actually, of the commandments, of the Ten Commandments.
And he's saying, this is what was in ancient Mosaic law, but I tell you, he's actually, he's saying, he still follows those commandments.
Right here he gives the fifth, the sixth, which could also include the ninth, actually does include the ninth.
And then the eighth.
Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery.
And he's used on to say there, whoever even does so in his heart already commits adultery.
You just look at a woman.
You have the thought, you already have committed adultery.
So he's referring also to the ninth commandment.
And then the eighth commandment, thou shalt not lie, thou shalt not bear false witness.
So he mentions here four, actually, commandments.
Two of them are related with each other, in any case.
But he says, here's what the commandment says, and this is how it's been all along, since those commandments were given through Moses.
But I say to you, and he goes further.
He's pointing out, and he says it explicitly, actually, at the beginning.
He's not coming to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.
Which he did.
Not only he, but his own most blessed mother as well, who would have been exempt from the law.
But yet they fulfilled it.
We only need to look back at the presentation of our Lord in the temple.
So our Lord makes the point, he is fulfilling the law.
Even though he's exempt, because he's the one who gave the law in the first place.
Whereas he says elsewhere, he says it in different, with different terms.
He says, I am the Lord of the Sabbath.
Meaning, he's the Lord of the Sabbath.
Meaning, he is God himself.
He's the one who gave this law.
But he's making a point here.
He gave that law to guide us.
Because of our weakness.
Because we easily fall into sin.
You see?
So he does expect us to follow it.
But he's actually making some even more serious points here, through this long discourse.
He's making some even more serious points here, through this long discourse.
And the point he is trying to make is,
And the point he is trying to make is,
that we do need to fulfill, but we have to be even more careful,
because we have to keep ourselves completely pure.
A fit dwelling place, as we saw in the opening prayer.
For God himself to, the word used there is abide.
Not only just live within us, dwell within us, but actually be with us.
So we can be united with him.
It's a much stronger term.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Right?
So we must be always ever watchful and keep ourselves completely pure.
Unless with even the slightest mark, the slightest sin, we turn them away.
And most of what is presented with us here would actually by definition be mortal sins.
Particularly those against, well actually both the 5th and the 6th, and the 9th commandments.
Right?
Would actually be mortal sins.
And then they cut us off completely.
completely from God. And we have to remind ourselves of this. Because how is it we can
forget all of that and fall back and fall into the material philosophy of the world
today and whatever makes me feel good, that's perfectly all right. When in fact, that's
not the case at all. Not if we expect to enter the kingdom of heaven. And he alludes to that
part of it a little bit too when he speaks of being liable to judgment and liable to
the fiery Gehenna. And actually he makes reference three times here to the Gehenna, which is
nothing more than hell. And we have to remind ourselves it does exist. And if we aren't
faithful completely, that's what we're destined for. So he's telling us we have to be careful.
Not that we literally have to cut off our limbs if they become detrimental to us.
He's using that as an example. But that's not what he's telling us to do. But he is
saying we do have to keep ourselves pure. We have to watch carefully. That we are not
offending God by our sins. And we have to seek to overcome those sins. We have to seek
to turn away from them. So that we are following his will, which he sends forth, sets forth
in the Ten Commandments. There's our guide. But that's what that is. That's the guide.
.
So as long as we are faithful and we are following, then you see we are on the right path.
And he also makes another allusion here too. He alludes to when he speaks of the
settling with your opponent quickly, etc. on the way to court. Because then you'll be judged, you'll be
thrown into prison. And amen I say to you, he says, you will not be released until you have paid the
last penny. Here he's referring to purgatory. If we are not already perfect when we die,
and our eternity is fixed, and our death, that there's still something to make up for,
particularly the temporal punishment for our sins, then we have to go through purgatory.
And it's much easier to make that reparation here in this life than it is purgatory.
Right.
Because one's taught actually purgatory.
the only difference between hell and purgatory
is that in purgatory you know
you're saved, you have that one consolation
you will
arrive in heaven
so it's a much
intense, much intenser suffering
than anything we have to go through in this life
so if we can make that reparation now in this life
we're much better off
much easier
it reminds me of an example
that I've actually read it several times
but it was a man
whose guardian angel came to him and told him
your time has now come
it's now time for you to die
which choice do you want
do you want to remain on earth
for a hundred years
or purgatory for three days
the man thought well three days
well sure I'll take purgatory
I'll take purgatory, only three days
sure, purgatory, fine
he died, he went to purgatory
now he's
down in the deep depths of purgatory
and he's suffering and he's suffering
and he's suffering
and he's suffering
and he's suffering
and he's suffering
and he goes on and on
and finally his guardian angel comes to him
and your guardian angel is with you
in purgatory as well
and he's released a little bit from his suffering
and
he tells the guardian angel
my guardian angel
it seems like it's been an eternity
it's been so long
isn't it time already for me to be released
he said my son
you haven't even completed your first day yet
so you see
it goes to show just how intense that suffering is
and we actually have
one can find
and I've seen some of these examples in Italy
of souls that have placed their hands on a board or a piece of cloth
and burned right through that wood or that cloth
you have a brown hand mark on that cloth
and I've seen actual examples
that's on another example that comes to my mind
is a dream that St. John Bosco had
where he also felt some souls in purgatory and woeful suffering
and woke up with his hand burning
there's another example too
but that was at the periphery of hell
it wasn't the purgatory
where he actually had his hand placed on the wall
by his guardian angel
when he woke up
he was actually able to pull the skin off his hand
it was that intense
but anyways
that's how intense also that suffering is
so it's much easier in this life now
to make that reparation
by whatever sufferings
whatever trials we have to endure
much easier in this life
may not always seem like it
but it really is
but the point is
until we reach that perfection
until we are completely consumed
in the love of God
we cannot enter heaven
alright
and it's every little thing
that's going to be weighed
alright
bring up another example
this one
is the example
of two nuns
who
living in their convent
prayed for each other
and they promised one
if they died
the one who would remain
remain on her
would pray for the other one
and one of them died
the other one remained praying
and on one occasion
she saw in vision
she saw
there at the edge of heaven
our Lord beckoning to the sister
who was in purgatory
the one who had died
beckoning her to come into heaven
and she couldn't pass into heaven
she wasn't able to
she had a little bit more
to make up for in purgatory
and it was revealed to her
what that sin was
she had failed
to recite her breviary
perfectly on one occasion
or something like that
it was a small thing
basically
but it was that little thing
that prevented her
from actually passing over
until that was made up for
she couldn't pass into heaven
in any case
the whole point is
we have to arrive
at that perfection
because where is paradise
heaven
is that union with God
God is perfect
how can we be less than perfect
and expect to enter paradise
so it has to be made up for
and that's what our Lord is saying here
alright
until you've paid
the last penny
and we can actually
we can actually make up for it
right now in this life
it can be done
that's what we do
if we accept willing our sufferings
offer our masses
and sacrifices
offer our prayers
then we can make up for that
there are ways
we also have
very difficult to obtain
and maintain
but we also have
plenary indulgences etc.
we have the sacraments
that will help us
much greatly
sacrament of penance
sacrament of Eucharist
will help us greatly
but do we do this
out of love for God
that's the whole point
if we don't reach that perfection
in our love for God
then there's that something
still to be paid up for
right
that's what we want to seek
and that's what our Lord
is pointing to here
alright
let us seek
only His love
with all our hearts
with all our beings
to love Him
for the great love
that He has shown on us
and still shows on us
shows to us
by remaining with us
right here in the blessed sacrament
day in and day out
waiting for us to come to Him
let us show Him
that love in return
and let us seek
right here and now
to perfect ourselves
in this way
so that we are prepared
when our time comes
and we can be welcomed
by His love
and His love
and His love
and His love
and His love
and His love
and His love
and His love
and His love
and His love
and His love
into paradise
praise be Jesus
amen