In today's Gospel we hear Jesus say to his disciples: "Unless your righteousness surpasses the Scribes and Pharisees you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven." What was the righteousness of the religious leaders of Jesus' day? It was a righteousness based on an extreme observance of the letter of the Law. What is our righteousness based on? Jesus and obedience to the Commandment out of love. If love is our rule of life, then we cannot remain in anger and un-forgiveness. We cannot remain aloof and distant on seeing the man half dead on the side of the road like the Levite and Priest in the parable. Rather our righteousness must be impelled by the love of Christ so that whatever we do whether in word or deed we do for the glory of God.