The externals are what we observe in our daily lives. There are people in the MRT and we see they are seated and they are on their mobile devices. We do not know what they are thinking about, and we often do not even know what they are feeling. As it is in today’s Gospel, the Lord tells us that observing letter of the law is insufficient. There is a need to understand the spirit of the law, meaning what does the law truly mean. The second reading tells us that the law given by the Lord is perfect and in this law there is the light which shows us the way to our Father.
For example, abstaining on Friday can be just an external observance of the law. The spirit of the law tells us that abstinence is a small sacrifice to remember the great sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross for us on Good Friday. What is our small token of sacrifice compared to the death of Jesus on the cross?
To observe the customs and laws of the Church is to bring us to the wisdom and understanding of the Lord as was passed down from generation to generation. Hear and observe God’s commandments.