Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9 / Matthew 5:17-19
A country is not just a concept; it is made up of its citizens. Neither is a nation just a notion; national pride resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.
For a nation to be great it must have values and principles, and along with that its laws and customs.
For a nation whose values and principles, together with its laws and customs are of a divine origin, then indeed it is truly a great nation, if it obeys and follows these divine precepts.
In the 1st reading, Moses as commanded by God, taught the people the laws and customs that they were to observe in the Promised Land that they were about to enter.
And if they keep these laws and customs, then the people around them would exclaim: No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation".
Jesus, in the gospel, said that He came not to abolish the Law and Prophets but to complete them.
But as much as God's Law and customs, together with its values and principles would make a nation great, it must be remembered that a nation is made up of individuals.
When an individual or a group of individuals do not keep or follow those divine precepts, then the nation as a whole would be affected.
Jesus said that the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven.
But the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.
When we realize that what we do with God's Law will affect not just our nation, but also the kingdom of heaven, then we should know what we need to do.