"You Don't Have to Listen to...."

Several time in the past few weeks I have heard preaching that was a kind of riff on the Letter of the Law vs. Spirit of the Law Grudge Match -
That's what's going on at the Vatican now, isn't it?
The conflict between rules and Mercy?
Between pastoral practice and some sill regulations?

No.

In fact, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Let me 'splain, with the help of my ol' pal, Holy Writ.
In Matthew 23, the Lord tells us to ignore the law, as expressed by the Pharisees, right?
WRONG.
What He tells His followers, what He tells us, is, "Practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice"

So He's NOT telling us that doctrine doesn't matter, that teachings don't matter, that the Law doesn't matter.

In fact, He's commanding us to obey it.

He's reminding us that that is not SUFFICIENT. 

It is not sufficient, but neither is it superfluous. 

In fact, it is of a piece with the love and mercy we are commanded to show that we may be shown it.

Mercy is not abandonment of the Law, and abandonment of the Law would be the furthest thing from Mercy. 

Think of the Law as a spiritual tetanus shot.

Refraining from dispensing it is not merciful, and in fact, is homicidal.