The first reading from Maccabees is the account of the mother and her seven sons. When they were forced by a ruler to break God's law, they refused to do so even in the face of death. In fact, the torture that the mother witnesses, for each son, would have been enough to break her resolve.

However, she continuously reminded her sons that obedience to God is more important than life itself. To her and her sons, there can be no shortcuts or even small compromises to be made when it comes to God's law. God's law always comes first.

In the Gospel, Jesus reminds his listeners that there are no shortcuts or compromises made when carrying out the mission he has entrusted to them. In fact, he warns them that if they fail to carry out or reject their responsibility, even out of fear, they are unfaithful in their mission. As a result, they will have no place in the full manifestation of the kingdom on the day the Son of man.

In our own lives, how often have we taken shortcuts or made compromises, even small ones, in the way we live out God's law or in carrying out the mission entrusted to us by Christ? It is important to remember that whenever we are tempted to bend or disregard the Law, we fail to live out a life of righteousness before God. In doing so, we place other things before God's law.

As Christians, God and his law must come first. There is no place for shortcuts or compromises, even little ones.