issing Mass (except when incapacitated) is a sin. Does this mean that we are obeying God if we sit in church without missing a Sunday? No, not really—not if, while we sit there, we do nothing to experience a genuine relationship with God. Attending Mass should result in a growth of loving God and neighbor. Encountering Jesus in the Word and in the Eucharist should make a difference in how we love. The bottom line is always love. Questions for Reflection and Discussion 1. Were you ever treated unlovingly because of another person’s legalism? How did that experience hide the true nature of Jesus? 2. Name common ways that Catholics fail to obey God. What might Jesus have done to make up for those failures? For example, how do you suppose Jesus treats unborn babies who’ve been aborted? How does He treat the mothers and the abortionists? 3. Imagine that you’ve met a young couple who are inactive Catholics, and you find out that they’re living together unmarried. What’s the best way to invite them to partake of the Sacrament of Marriage? With other group members, do some role playing to try different approaches. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Matthew 5:21- 26 Jesus continues the Sermon by giving specific examples of how to transform the literal interpretations of Mosaic laws into the Law of Love. In each case He presents, He explains that true believers take the more demanding, more loving approach. His first topic is anger, and He makes us aware of the increasing dangers of anger by referring to increasingly disasterous results in the angry person’s soul. At the lowest level, anger in the heart results in “judgment,” which is represented by the Jewish local court, where the least of the three punishments are meted out. Then, He names one of the initial ways that anger in the heart becomes anger that kills: To shout “raqa” at som...
