Superball Weekend: Some football terms applied during Mass: Draw play-What many children do with their bulletins during worship. Backfield-in-motion-Making a trip up and down the aisle to the restroom or water fountain. Quarterback sneak-Parishioners quietly leaving after communion. Blocking-using iPhone during the homily. Two minutes warning-The point at which you realize the announcements are almost over and begin to gather up your belongings. Instant replay-The priest misplaces his notes and keeps repeating his point over and over again. Sudden death-What happens to the congregation’s attention span if the priest goes overtime. Benchwarmer-Well, u should know what that is. Blitz-The rush for restaurants right after the dismissal!

This Sunday is designated as World Marriage Day to pray for all married couples and their families. In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us a new way of living considered as fulfilling the law and not abolishing it. What is it new way of living? Laws, aren’t they the Ten Commandments in the Decalogue? How comes Jesus mentioned only three reports in today’s Gospel? They are: You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. You shall not commit adultery. Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. These three commandments, aren’t talking about the relationship with one another? And what is the foundation of all relationships if it’s not love? Therefore, Saint Paul mentions in his letter to the Corinthian community saying, “Faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

How did Jesus fulfill the law when it said, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment?” Isn’t that absence of love the beginning of destruction? When we harbor anger within our hearts, mind, and soul, we harbor the motive behind the murder. When anger continues to arise in our hearts, mind, and soul, we have no problem calling others “Raqa” translated as “blockhead” or “you fool”. Love is the only tool that can help us empty the anger and hatred that we harbor in our hearts, mind, and soul. Love is the only medicine that can cure our sickness and illness caused by harboring anger and hatred in our hearts, mind, and soul.

How did Jesus fulfill the law when it said, “You shall not commit adultery?” What we harbor with all lustful images and pictures in our hearts, mind, and souls will give us a strong motive to deliver them into action. We don’t have to wait to commit an adulterous act. We already commit adulterous acts the moment that we store lustful images and pictures in our minds, heart, and soul. Also, the moment that we have a lustful thought in our heart, mind, and soul, the moment that we commit an adulterous act.

Roncalli Cardinal, who later became Pope John XXIII, once came to a reception and was sitting next to a duchess who wore a very short dress which made him feel very uncomfortable. He gave the duchess an apple, and she was very impressed when she received an apple from the hands of a cardinal. Her response to the cardinal said, “What an honor to receive an apple from a cardinal.” Cardinal Roncalli replied, “Eve only recognized that she was naked after she ate the apple.” God created everything good, including our human beings, but evil exists because we choose to distance ourselves from God. The book of Sirach, described in today’s first reading, says, “Before man [is] life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him.”

How did Jesus fulfill the law when it said, “Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow? Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one.” Learn to be truthful to ourselves and others. Learn to practice justice, one of the four cardinal virtues: prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice.

A story told that one day, a general offered to the king a mysterious and valuable ring. It was valued because it’s made of valuable and rare gold with rare diamonds around the ring. It was mysterious because when the owner of this ring told the truth, the ring was nicely fitted and beautiful on his finger. However, when he lied, the ring tied on his finger and tremendously hurt his finger. The Lord Jesus fulfills the law by giving each one of us this mysterious and valuable ring to follow his teaching. Have we kept it to ourselves all the time?

Just as Jesus fulfilled the laws based on love, how would we fulfill Jesus’ teaching and the Church’s teaching if it’s not to love God and love one another as he commanded us? Perhaps, when we replace our mind with the mind of Jesus and our wisdom with the wisdom of God, then we can have a new life in him. The decision is always yours.