Keep the Commandment Without Stain or Reproach”
Today's Mass Readings
The focus of today’s reading today certainly is the word of God. Thus, in the first reading, Paul, in his letter to Timothy urges him “to keep the commandment without stain or reproach…” (1 Tim 6:14). The “commandments” here refer to the teaching of Christ. In the gospel reading, Jesus himself explains the parable by saying, “The seed is the word of God” (Lk 8:11). It is interesting that Paul creates a contrast between Pontus Pilate and Jesus as he urges Timothy to keep the commandments. In this passage, if Pontus Pilate is the ruler, then Jesus is referred to as the only ruler; If Pontus Pilate acted on behalf of the Roman Emperor, Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords; If Pontus Pilate is mortal, Jesus is immortal; If Pontus Pilate is in darkness Jesus dwells in unapproachable light. The conclusion is that the difference between those who are on the side of Jesus can only be so if they “keep the commandment without stain or reproach…”(1 Tim 6:14). In other words, obedience to the word of God is what separate those in darkness from the ones who dwell in the light.
Jesus provides another insight into the functioning of the word of God. Although there are many passages that suggest that the word of God is powerful by itself (Is 55:10-11, Heb 4:12), in this passage the fruitfulness of the word of God depends on the one who takes action upon the word. Thus, if someone does not care about the word, it will not have any impact on him/her. It is not the word of God that is at loss here. The person is at loss because he/she cuts himself from the eternal word of God. In one sense, this person’s life is useless. But if the person does listen to the word and bear fruit, then his life becomes meaningful in God’s eyes.
The joy of making our lives meaningful in God’s eyes is incomparable to any other joy. In eternity, it will allow us to dwell in peace in the presence of the only ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the immortal one, the one who lives in unapproachable light – Jesus Christ. Let us strive to keep the commandments and let it bear fruit in our lives – a hundred fold.