We have all encountered rules we must follow in our lives from dress codes to traffic signals. These rules, which are meant to guide us can sometimes feel as though they’re weighing us down. Other times, old rules can seem mundane and old fashioned. Why should we follow these seemingly out-of-date rules when it would be so much easier to do everything our way?      

In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges us to follow the commandments. He emphasizes the importance of the commandments by incentivizing obedience when he says, “whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven”. By saying this, Jesus gives us the greatest possible reason for following the commandments by giving us the end goal of eternal life.

This Lenten season, we are called to prepare and wait for the resurrection of Jesus. In this time, we sacrifice parts of our everyday life for Christ, whether that be giving up sweets or going to daily Mass. In acts like these, we find beauty in the mundane and the highest gifts in the lowliest offerings. There is great wisdom that surpasses time in the simplicity of the commandments. While it may be difficult, I challenge you to reflect on how the commandments can take a larger importance in your life because even though the road is rocky, the rewards are sweet. After all, who doesn’t like a good rocky road ice cream?