Homily: Thursday, June 9, Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

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 Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of God.”

How were the scribes and Pharisees righteous? For them, being righteous meant to be obedient to the law and the prophets, to the letter. They followed the law literally. In other words, they were legalistic. They were righteous, externally.

How then can anyone surpass their righteousness? They were exact and accurate in everything the law prescribed. Can anyone do more than them, more than the law required and go the extra mile?

What does Jesus mean? What is the purpose of the law?

St. Paul had the answer. In his letter to the Ephesians, he wrote, “…to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…” Yes, we are to seek love above knowledge.

St. Paul continued, “…so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” And this is the purpose of the law, that we may be full of God, that means full of love.

So, the only way to surpass the righteousness of following the law, is to love the One who gave the law.

Mother Teresa said it so wonderfully, “We cannot all do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” We can’t do what the Scribes and Pharisees did, no one could, that’s why the people suffered. But we can do everything with love.

Many people who made great impacts on the world, did it with great love. The disciples, St. Maxmillian Kolbe, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, St. Francis of Assisi and many, many more. 

They worked tirelessly and fearlessly, they sacrificed their lives and embraced sufferings, because their love for God was great. And they never claimed to be righteous like the pharisees, who loved themselves more than God.

Scott Hahn said, “The desire to love will take you beyond the commandments. Love inspires more than the law requires.” 

Let us surpass the righteousness of Pharisees. 


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