ONE OF THE OPENING PRAYERS provided by the Weekday Missal for the 10th Week in Ordinary Time is:

Father in heaven, words cannot measure the boundaries of love for those born to new life in Christ Jesus. Raise us beyond the limits this world imposes, so that we may be free to love as Christ teaches and find our joy in your glory.

And today these words encompass “anyone who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same [who] will be considered least in the kingdom of heaven”. (Matthew 5.17-19)

I must therefore take very great care not to teach anything that may encourage anyone to infringe the commandments of the Law and the Prophets. But I carefully reflect upon Jesus’ words and, as always, they provide us with cause for faith and hope: for the one (every one!) who infringes the commandments is to be considered least in the kingdom of heaven … but is nonetheless IN the kingdom of heaven. Words don’t have the measure of who is born to new life in Christ, or how. Only Love does.

Vox Ultima Crucis

Tarry no longer; toward thine heritage haste on thy way, and be of right good cheer. Go each day onward on thy pilgrimage; think how short time thou hast abiden here. Thy place is built above the starès clear, no earthly palace wrought in so stately wise. Come on, my friend, my brother may enter! For thee I offered my blood in sacrifice.

John Lydgate, 1370-1450

Words cannot measure the boundaries of love. Alleluia.