you will never get into the kingdom of Heaven
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time A
Sirach. 13:15-20. Psalm 118: 1-3. 4-5, `17-18, 33-34. Rv.1. 1Cor 2:6-10,
If you wish, you can keep the commandments.
They are happy who follow God’s Law.
For the Spirit reaches even the depths of God.
I have come to complete the Law and the prophets.
Matt. 5:17-37
Jesus brings the law to fulfillment
Jesus said to his disciples:
'Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.
18 In truth I tell you, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until all its purpose is achieved.
19 Therefore, anyone 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 person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven.
A religion of the heart not of the letter
20 'For I tell you, if your uprightness does not surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of Heaven.
21 'You have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You shall not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court.
22 But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother will answer for it before the court; anyone who calls a brother "Fool" will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him "Traitor" will answer for it in hell fire.
23 So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering.
25 Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.
Jesus teaches us about adultery
27 'You have heard how it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
28 But I say this to you, if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus teach us the consequences of sin
29 If your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell.
30 And if your right hand should be your downfall, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body go to hell.
Jesus teaches us about divorce
31 'It has also been said, Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal.
32 But I say this to you, everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of an illicit marriage, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Jesus teaches us about oath taking
33 'Again, you have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord.
35 or by earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great King.
37 All you need say is "Yes" if you mean yes, "No" if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One.
A Bell That Rings True
Jesus is the fulfilment of the Old Testament, where God is the God of the Israelites. To be a Christian is to share in Jesus’ relationship with God his Father. It is essentially a matter of the heart. We know God as our Creator and Father who loves and provides everything for us and most of all who sends his own Son, Jesus. What is religion? What is morality? It is to respond to our Father’s love. It is love for love. Religion only has meaning when it is my response out of love for Him. I worship Him and obey Him because He is the God who loves all his creation and me too. His commandments are given to me so that I may live abundantly.
The Pharisees in general were sincere in their desire to fulfil the Law of Moses. As in every religious group there were those who lived a double life. They put on a show of being religious while secretly being immoral. Jesus cannot tolerate double living and so he condemned them. They appeared good but were actually bad. If my religion and my morality do not come from my heart but are only external actions, then they are worthless in the eyes of God. External actions only have value for Him when they are the manifestation of my inner spirit.
Jesus wants to root out all evil from our hearts so that we can be true children of our Father in heaven. To murder is to break the Law. But where does murder come from? It comes from our heart – from anger cultivated into hatred and developing into revenge and manifesting itself in violent action. To commit adultery is to break the Law. But where does adultery come from? It comes from our heart – it comes from our lustful desires, which are cultivated and manifest themselves in the external act of adultery. We have committed murder and adultery in our hearts long before doing them for all to see. Likewise Jesus wants marriage to be what God intended it to be, a life-long loving union between one man and one woman. He wants us to be true and not double or devious. If we mean yes then we say yes and if no then no. This is how God is and so we his children should be the same.
Life is to be found in responding to God’s love. We respond as Jesus did with obedience. To sin is to reject God and its consequences are unimaginable. Jesus uses graphic language to teach us that nothing compares with the harm we do ourselves by turning from God source of life and happiness. Do you see the Commandments as a gift from God?
Father, make us models of your Son so that we may love you and one another with a love that is true and from our hearts.
No comments:
Post a Comment