Law as a Matter of the Heart

6^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 16, 2014

Matthew 5:17-37

“I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Mat 5:28).

Law is basic to human lives. In fact, without laws, rules or regulations, human society will simply not be able to exist. Laws build relationship, govern harmony, and prevent anarchy. Therefore, they are necessary to the simplest human community like family to the most complex like a state. In 1945, Mr. Soekarno and Mr. Hatta proclaimed the independence of Indonesia, and they did not forget to include in this written declaration a short sentence. This last part of the historic document was to convoke the general body as to draft the constitutions. They were pretty conscious that without the foundational laws, the newborn Indonesia would soon enough fall into the state of chaos. In fact, one of the key to lasting marriage is that the couple are able to come up with unwritten basic rules that direct their life.

However, there is a tiny problem. We are created with freedom, and being free, we do not only have the ability to follow the laws, but also violate them and bend them to suit our interests. Regulations are felt as limitations to human freedom and expressions. Thus, the violation takes place left and right.

To solve this problem, law-enforcers are created. Yet, the problem persists because the law-enforcers are not above the rest of humanity and they are also subjected to the same temptation. The forefathers of United States of America envisioned their fellow-citizen to be a great and Christian people, but as liberty is held dear more than any norms, we can see now how through the very same lawful structure, they legalize abortion. It seems that all human laws are doomed to fail.

Jesus is fully aware of the true purpose of law as well as human tendency to manipulate it. Thus, Jesus neither proposes any stricter regulations nor establishes firmer law-enforcing bodies, but He comes to the heart of the matter. Indeed, the matter is the heart itself. The locus of all desires to break the laws is inside our heart. Jesus, therefore, instructs us to be aware of these movements inside and to educate them. Without a formation of conscience, an encoded law, however just and refined it is, becomes an evil means for the wicked heart. Yet, for a pure heart, written rules are just good guide and friendly reminder.

I always remember the words of my professor, Fr. Enrico Gonzales, OP, the heart of education is the education of the heart. Just laws are there to govern harmony and guard freedom, and only the pure of hearts can see this. Do we understand the essence of the law? Do we resist the temptation to destroy the rules? Do we have willingness and time to educate our heart?