Memory of the Saints and the Prophets
Reading of the Word of God
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people acquired by God
to proclaim his marvellous works.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
Matthew 5,17-19
'Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. In truth I tell you, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until all its purpose is achieved. Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
You will be holy,
because I am holy, thus says the Lord.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
Jesus is well aware of the importance of the Law. The evangelist suggests that in every page of Scripture, even a "iota" (the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet), there is a reference to Jesus. The entire story of God's love for his people - as it appears in the First Testament - finds its fulfilment in Jesus. It is the meaning of the words that open the Letter to the Hebrews: "Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son" (Heb 1:1-2). In Jesus, the story of salvation of God that runs through every page of the Bible reaches its climax. We must listen to every page of the Bible, for they contain the story of God's extraordinary love for men and women. We must cherish and meditate on every page with care and devotion. In the second letter to Timothy the apostle Paul writes: "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17). St. Francis exhorted the brothers to collect pieces of paper fallen to the ground (they were codes on which it was easy to find the transcriptions of Bible passages) because they could contain passages. Jesus' disciples, following is teaching, are called to welcome each word of the Holy Scriptures into their hearts and carry them out in their daily lives.