In the Gospel passage proposed today, Jesus proclaims that he came to give full fulfilment to the Law.
So not to demolish or transgress the Word, but to observe it by loving.
Love is the true fulfilment of the Law of the Lord, which is perfect and refreshes the soul.
Francis understood this well by living and teaching his fraternity to do the same.
The Sources provide, through various pieces, precious examples of life. In the Letter to the Rulers of Peoples:
"I beseech you [...] with all the reverence of which I am capable, not to forget the Lord, absorbed as you are by the cares and cares of this world, and not to deviate from his commandments, for all who forget the Lord and deviate from his commandments are cursed and will be forgotten by him" (FF 211).
At the same time, the Poverello, with that balance and elasticity that distinguished him, emphasised:
"And whenever necessity arises, let all the brothers, wherever they may be, be allowed to take all the food that men can eat, just as the Lord says of David, who ate the loaves of the offering that were not allowed to be eaten except by priests [...] Similarly, in times of manifest necessity, let all the brothers provide for their necessities as the Lord will give them grace, since necessity has no law" (FF 33).
According to Francis' thought, what harms love is detraction. In fact, in the Major Legend, we read:
"The vice of detraction, the radical enemy of piety and grace, horrified him like the bite of the serpent and like the most harmful pestilence [...].
'The wickedness of detractors,' she said, 'is so much greater than that of thieves, the greater the force with which the law of Christ, which finds its fulfilment in love, obliges us to desire the salvation of souls more than that of bodies'" (FF 1141).
Clare herself, in the Rule, warns:
"I admonish, then, and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that the sisters beware of all pride, vainglory, envy, avarice, care and solicitude of this world, of detraction and murmuring, of discord and division" (FF 2809).
"Instead, let them always be solicitous to preserve mutually the unity of mutual charity, which is the bond of perfection" (FF 2810).
Love was the Rule of the brothers and the Poor Ladies of San Damiano: "[...] and so, carrying the yoke of mutual charity, with ease we will fulfil the law of Christ. Amen." (FF 2918 - Letter to Ermentrude of Bruges).
«Do not think that I have come to tear down the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to demolish, but to fulfil» (Mt 5:17)
Wednesday 3rd wk. in Lent (Mt 5,17-19)
