THE ESSENTIAL OF THE LAW IS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Two important biblical personalities help us to understand better the mission of Christ as priest of the new and eternal covenant, such as Melchizedek and Abraham. About Melchizedek, he was king of Salem and priest, king of justice and peace. His origin nobody knows, but all accept his priesthood. With more sure we are invited to accept the priesthood of Christ which has divine origin. The priesthood of Christ is reference for our service, because through our baptism we were attached to him as members of his Body and called to participate in a common priesthood in order to serve the people of God.

Abraham, in his experience of surrender motivates us to be grateful to God. Gesture of surrender is to give back to the Lord which belongs to him. According to this text, the priest Melchizedek meets Abraham and blesses him. So the blessing happens before the offering of Abraham. Like this is the action of the grace of God in our life. It happens even without awareness from our part and before any human gesture. If we offer something to him it doesn’t add anything in God, but expresses our recognising and thanksgiving before so many gifts we have received. The offering is part of our life and our life is present in the offerings which we offer to the Lord. All offering finds its true meaning in the sacrificial offering of Christ, who surrenders himself to God for the salvation of all.

Jesus is the priest who feels compassion before the reality of suffering of the people. He feels also indignation because the indifference and injustice in relating to this reality. He criticises the law which was lived in formal way, preventing to see the needs around. For him the more important is not the law itself, but the spirit that motivates the law and the posture assumed before it. Every law should have as aim to humanize the people. The law is emptied of its true meaning when only serves to oppress, promoting privileges and personal interests. For Jesus, the true law promotes the life and guide the people to do good things for others. In another moment he will states that the essential of the law is to love one another. Whoever follows Jesus does not follow a law or a doctrine but a person. This person taught us to make of every law instrument of fraternity, through which the love to God and the love to neighbour are increasingly evidenced.

Fr Ndega