“Unless your virtue goes deeper and greatly surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the Kingdom.” Matthew 5, 20-26
It is clear from what we see of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospels that religious virtue, for them, consisted in the most exact external observance of every detail of Jewish Law. The more perfect the observance of the letter of the Law, the closer one was to God. Jesus challenged that understanding and it led to serious confrontations with these groups and others among the religious leadership.
Of course, the way of the Scribes and Pharisees has its attractions! It is a much easier way to measure one’s obedience to God. But how many people are constantly anxious to know whether a certain action “is a sin” or not? How many are led down a path of scrupulosity and fear, finding sin even in minutiae. For them, God becomes a menacing shadow ready to strike at the smallest wrongdoing.
Isn’t it true, however, that we all sometimes live as if we are imprisoned? Sometimes we do live as if we are not free, whether that is because of other people or circumstances or events outside of us … but there are often our own doubts and fears that hold us back. Jesus wants to set us free – and it’s faith on our part that gives Him the chance to do it
Jesus will never force Himself on us. If we prefer to remain locked within ourselves, He will respect that decision, even though it probably causes Him infinite sadness. If, however, our hearts are open to Him, we will be spiritually reborn, and as St. John (20, 19-31) says, we will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and we will have life through His Name and a share in His Kingdom.
