RBWords

     St. Paul's words in his Second Letter to the Corinthians and Jesus' words in the Gospel of Matthew seem to be at odds with one another.  However, they actually reflect different communities and different concerns.  St. Paul is writing for a community that did not have its roots in Palestinian Judaism but in the pagan Greek culture of Corinth.  He was determined that the Mosaic Law not be imposed on these new converts from paganism.  Matthew was writing for a community of Jewish converts to Christianity who found themselves at odds with their brothers and sisters in the synagogues.  The Mosaic Law [Torah] was a part of their faith.  Was Jesus requiring that they abandon it?  Jesus says they do not have to abandon it but understand it in the light of his teaching.  Matthew has a view of history that places Christ in the center and the purpose of the law is to lead people to Christ.

 

     The tension over the role of the Mosaic Law eventually faded as the separation between the Christian and Jewish communities became more pronounced.  But the question is still a very human one in matters of faith.  Many people will say that they are very spiritual or that they believe in God but they will have nothing to do with any structured "religion."  This is a very individualistic (and mostly Western) view of faith which seems to minimize the role of a community in belief.  Both Jesus and Paul would have nothing to do with a faith of this kind.  We are called by our baptism to be a part of a community of faith.  This will mean some shared beliefs [Creed] and worship.  It is true for us Catholics that we occasionally get TOO structured and insistent on certain observances that are not of the essence.  We have to pray for wisdom to know when to change and what to keep as essential.  We can take comfort that our brothers and sisters in faith down through the centuries have had to deal with this challenge as well.  AMEN