Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 76
Lectionary: 76
If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;
if you trust in God, you too shall live;
he has set before you fire and water
to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.
Before man are life and death, good and evil,
whichever he chooses shall be given him.
Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.
The eyes of God are on those who fear him;
he understands man’s every deed.
No one does he command to act unjustly,
to none does he give license to sin.
if you trust in God, you too shall live;
he has set before you fire and water
to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.
Before man are life and death, good and evil,
whichever he chooses shall be given him.
Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.
The eyes of God are on those who fear him;
he understands man’s every deed.
No one does he command to act unjustly,
to none does he give license to sin.
R/ (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R/ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R/ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words.
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R/ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes,
that I may exactly observe them.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R/ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R/ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R/ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words.
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
R/ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes,
that I may exactly observe them.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R/ Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Brothers and sisters:
We speak a wisdom to those who are mature,
not a wisdom of this age,
nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.
Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden,
which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,
and which none of the rulers of this age knew;
for, if they had known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written:
What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
and what has not entered the human heart,
what God has prepared for those who love him,
this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.
We speak a wisdom to those who are mature,
not a wisdom of this age,
nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.
Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden,
which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,
and which none of the rulers of this age knew;
for, if they had known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written:
What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,
and what has not entered the human heart,
what God has prepared for those who love him,
this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment;
and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’
will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful -
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment;
and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’
will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful -
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
Scripture Study
February 16, 2014 Sixth Sunday In Ordinary Time
First Reading: Sirach 15:15-20
15If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do his will. 16There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. 17Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him. 18Immense is the wisdom of the LORD; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing. 19The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man's every deed. 20No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies.
NOTES on First Reading:
* The sinner is fully responsible for his conduct because God, who sees all things, is not the author if wickedness; He gives to every man the liberty to choose between good and evil.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
6Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. 7Rather, we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, 8and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him," 10this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* [2:6-3:4] Paul now asserts paradoxically what he has previously been denying. To the Greeks who "are looking for wisdom" (1 Cor 1:22), he does indeed bring a wisdom, but of a higher order and an entirely different quality, the only wisdom really worthy of the name. The Corinthians would be able to grasp Paul's preaching as wisdom and enter into a wisdom-conversation with him if they were more open to the Spirit and receptive to the new insight and language that the Spirit teaches.
* [7-10a] God's wisdom: his plan for our salvation. This was his own eternal secret that no one else could fathom, but in this new age of salvation he has graciously revealed it to us. For the pattern of God's secret, hidden to others and now revealed to the Church, cf also Romans 11:25-36; 16:25-27; Eph 1:3-10; 3:3-11; Col 1:25-28.
* [8] The rulers of this age: this suggests not only the political leaders of the Jews and Romans under whom Jesus was crucified (cf Acts 4:25-28) but also the cosmic powers behind them (cf Eph 1:20-23; 3:10). They would not have crucified the Lord of glory: they became the unwitting executors of God's plan, which will paradoxically bring about their own conquest and submission (1 Cor 15:24-28).
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:17-37
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 19Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 14 20I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.' 22But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
23Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
27"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
31"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.' 32But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33"Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.' 34But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one.
NOTES on Gospel:
* [17-20] This statement of Jesus' position concerning the Mosaic law is composed of traditional material from Matthew's sermon documentation (see the note on Matthew 5:1-7:29), other Q material (cf Matthew 18; Luke 16:17), and the evangelist's own editorial touches. To fulfill the law appears at first to mean a literal enforcement of the law in the least detail: until heaven and earth pass away nothing of the law will pass (Matthew 5:18). Yet the "passing away" of heaven and earth is not necessarily the end of the world understood, as in much apocalyptic literature, as the dissolution of the existing universe. The "turning of the ages" comes with the apocalyptic event of Jesus' death and resurrection, and those to whom this gospel is addressed are living in the new and final age, prophesied by Isaiah as the time of "new heavens and a new earth" (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22). Meanwhile, during Jesus' ministry when the kingdom is already breaking in, his mission remains within the framework of the law, though with significant anticipation of the age to come, as the following antitheses (Matthew 5:21-48) show.
* [19] Probably these commandments means those of the Mosaic law. But this is an interim ethic "until heaven and earth pass away."
* [21-48] Six examples of the conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. Each deals with a commandment of the law, introduced by You have heard that it was said to your ancestors or an equivalent formula, followed by Jesus' teaching in respect to that commandment, But I say to you; thus their designation as "antitheses." Three of them accept the Mosaic law but extend or deepen it (Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 43-44); three reject it as a standard of conduct for the disciples (Matthew 31-32; 33-37; 38-39).
* [21] Cf Exodus 20:13; Deut 5:17. The second part of the verse is not an exact quotation from the Old Testament, but cf Exodus 21:12.
* [22-26] Reconciliation with an offended brother is urged in the admonition of Matthew 5:23-24 and the parable of Matthew 5:25-26 (Luke 12:58-59). The severity of the judge in the parable is a warning of the fate of unrepentant sinners in the coming judgment by God.
* [22] Anger is the motive behind murder, as the insulting epithets are steps that may lead to it. They, as well as the deed, are all forbidden. Raqa: an Aramaic word reqa' or reqa probably meaning "imbecile," "blockhead," a term of abuse. The ascending order of punishment, judgment (by a local council?), trial before the Sanhedrin, condemnation to Gehenna, points to a higher degree of seriousness in each of the offenses. Sanhedrin: the highest judicial body of Judaism. Gehenna: in Hebrew ge-hinnom, "Valley of Hinnom," or ge ben-hinnom, "Valley of the son of Hinnom," southwest of Jerusalem, the center of an idolatrous cult during the monarchy in which children were offered in sacrifice (see 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31). In Joshua 18:16 (Septuagint, Codex Vaticanus) the Hebrew is transliterated into Greek as gaienna, which appears in the New Testament as geenna. The concept of punishment of sinners by fire either after death or after the final judgment is found in Jewish apocalyptic literature (e.g., Enoch 90:26) but the name geenna is first given to the place of punishment in the New Testament.
* [27] See Exodus 20:14; Deut 5:18.
* [29-30] No sacrifice is too great to avoid total destruction in Gehenna.
* [31-32] See Deut 24:1-5. The Old Testament commandment that a bill of divorce be given to the woman assumes the legitimacy of divorce itself. It is this that Jesus denies. (Unless the marriage is unlawful): this "exceptive clause," as it is often called, occurs also in Matthew 19:9, where the Greek is slightly different. There are other sayings of Jesus about divorce that prohibit it absolutely (see Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; cf 1 Cor 7:10, 11b), and most scholars agree that they represent the stand of Jesus. Matthew's "exceptive clauses" are understood by some as a modification of the absolute prohibition. It seems, however, that the unlawfulness that Matthew gives as a reason why a marriage must be broken refers to a situation peculiar to his community: the violation of Mosaic law forbidding marriage between persons of certain blood and/or legal relationship (Lev 18:6-18). Marriages of that sort were regarded as incest (porneia), but some rabbis allowed Gentile converts to Judaism who had contracted such marriages to remain in them. Matthew's "exceptive clause" is against such permissiveness for Gentile converts to Christianity; cf the similar prohibition of porneia in Acts 15:20, 29. In this interpretation, the clause constitutes no exception to the absolute prohibition of divorce when the marriage is lawful.
* [33] This is not an exact quotation of any Old Testament text, but see Exodus 20:7; Deut 5:11; Lev 19:12. The purpose of an oath was to guarantee truthfulness by one's calling on God as witness.
* [34-36] The use of these oath formularies that avoid the divine name is in fact equivalent to swearing by it, for all the things sworn by are related to God.
* [37] Let your `Yes' mean `Yes,' and your `No' mean `No': literally, "let your speech be 'Yes, yes,' 'No, no.' " Some have understood this as a milder form of oath, permitted by Jesus. In view of Matthew 5:34, "Do not swear at all," that is unlikely. From the evil one: i.e., from the devil. Oath-taking presupposes a sinful weakness of the human race, namely, the tendency to lie. Jesus demands of his disciples a truthfulness that makes oaths unnecessary.
15If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do his will. 16There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. 17Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him. 18Immense is the wisdom of the LORD; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing. 19The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man's every deed. 20No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies.
NOTES on First Reading:
* The sinner is fully responsible for his conduct because God, who sees all things, is not the author if wickedness; He gives to every man the liberty to choose between good and evil.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
6Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature, but not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. 7Rather, we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, 8and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him," 10this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* [2:6-3:4] Paul now asserts paradoxically what he has previously been denying. To the Greeks who "are looking for wisdom" (1 Cor 1:22), he does indeed bring a wisdom, but of a higher order and an entirely different quality, the only wisdom really worthy of the name. The Corinthians would be able to grasp Paul's preaching as wisdom and enter into a wisdom-conversation with him if they were more open to the Spirit and receptive to the new insight and language that the Spirit teaches.
* [7-10a] God's wisdom: his plan for our salvation. This was his own eternal secret that no one else could fathom, but in this new age of salvation he has graciously revealed it to us. For the pattern of God's secret, hidden to others and now revealed to the Church, cf also Romans 11:25-36; 16:25-27; Eph 1:3-10; 3:3-11; Col 1:25-28.
* [8] The rulers of this age: this suggests not only the political leaders of the Jews and Romans under whom Jesus was crucified (cf Acts 4:25-28) but also the cosmic powers behind them (cf Eph 1:20-23; 3:10). They would not have crucified the Lord of glory: they became the unwitting executors of God's plan, which will paradoxically bring about their own conquest and submission (1 Cor 15:24-28).
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:17-37
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 19Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 14 20I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.' 22But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
23Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
27"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
31"It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.' 32But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33"Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.' 34But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one.
NOTES on Gospel:
* [17-20] This statement of Jesus' position concerning the Mosaic law is composed of traditional material from Matthew's sermon documentation (see the note on Matthew 5:1-7:29), other Q material (cf Matthew 18; Luke 16:17), and the evangelist's own editorial touches. To fulfill the law appears at first to mean a literal enforcement of the law in the least detail: until heaven and earth pass away nothing of the law will pass (Matthew 5:18). Yet the "passing away" of heaven and earth is not necessarily the end of the world understood, as in much apocalyptic literature, as the dissolution of the existing universe. The "turning of the ages" comes with the apocalyptic event of Jesus' death and resurrection, and those to whom this gospel is addressed are living in the new and final age, prophesied by Isaiah as the time of "new heavens and a new earth" (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22). Meanwhile, during Jesus' ministry when the kingdom is already breaking in, his mission remains within the framework of the law, though with significant anticipation of the age to come, as the following antitheses (Matthew 5:21-48) show.
* [19] Probably these commandments means those of the Mosaic law. But this is an interim ethic "until heaven and earth pass away."
* [21-48] Six examples of the conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. Each deals with a commandment of the law, introduced by You have heard that it was said to your ancestors or an equivalent formula, followed by Jesus' teaching in respect to that commandment, But I say to you; thus their designation as "antitheses." Three of them accept the Mosaic law but extend or deepen it (Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 43-44); three reject it as a standard of conduct for the disciples (Matthew 31-32; 33-37; 38-39).
* [21] Cf Exodus 20:13; Deut 5:17. The second part of the verse is not an exact quotation from the Old Testament, but cf Exodus 21:12.
* [22-26] Reconciliation with an offended brother is urged in the admonition of Matthew 5:23-24 and the parable of Matthew 5:25-26 (Luke 12:58-59). The severity of the judge in the parable is a warning of the fate of unrepentant sinners in the coming judgment by God.
* [22] Anger is the motive behind murder, as the insulting epithets are steps that may lead to it. They, as well as the deed, are all forbidden. Raqa: an Aramaic word reqa' or reqa probably meaning "imbecile," "blockhead," a term of abuse. The ascending order of punishment, judgment (by a local council?), trial before the Sanhedrin, condemnation to Gehenna, points to a higher degree of seriousness in each of the offenses. Sanhedrin: the highest judicial body of Judaism. Gehenna: in Hebrew ge-hinnom, "Valley of Hinnom," or ge ben-hinnom, "Valley of the son of Hinnom," southwest of Jerusalem, the center of an idolatrous cult during the monarchy in which children were offered in sacrifice (see 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31). In Joshua 18:16 (Septuagint, Codex Vaticanus) the Hebrew is transliterated into Greek as gaienna, which appears in the New Testament as geenna. The concept of punishment of sinners by fire either after death or after the final judgment is found in Jewish apocalyptic literature (e.g., Enoch 90:26) but the name geenna is first given to the place of punishment in the New Testament.
* [27] See Exodus 20:14; Deut 5:18.
* [29-30] No sacrifice is too great to avoid total destruction in Gehenna.
* [31-32] See Deut 24:1-5. The Old Testament commandment that a bill of divorce be given to the woman assumes the legitimacy of divorce itself. It is this that Jesus denies. (Unless the marriage is unlawful): this "exceptive clause," as it is often called, occurs also in Matthew 19:9, where the Greek is slightly different. There are other sayings of Jesus about divorce that prohibit it absolutely (see Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; cf 1 Cor 7:10, 11b), and most scholars agree that they represent the stand of Jesus. Matthew's "exceptive clauses" are understood by some as a modification of the absolute prohibition. It seems, however, that the unlawfulness that Matthew gives as a reason why a marriage must be broken refers to a situation peculiar to his community: the violation of Mosaic law forbidding marriage between persons of certain blood and/or legal relationship (Lev 18:6-18). Marriages of that sort were regarded as incest (porneia), but some rabbis allowed Gentile converts to Judaism who had contracted such marriages to remain in them. Matthew's "exceptive clause" is against such permissiveness for Gentile converts to Christianity; cf the similar prohibition of porneia in Acts 15:20, 29. In this interpretation, the clause constitutes no exception to the absolute prohibition of divorce when the marriage is lawful.
* [33] This is not an exact quotation of any Old Testament text, but see Exodus 20:7; Deut 5:11; Lev 19:12. The purpose of an oath was to guarantee truthfulness by one's calling on God as witness.
* [34-36] The use of these oath formularies that avoid the divine name is in fact equivalent to swearing by it, for all the things sworn by are related to God.
* [37] Let your `Yes' mean `Yes,' and your `No' mean `No': literally, "let your speech be 'Yes, yes,' 'No, no.' " Some have understood this as a milder form of oath, permitted by Jesus. In view of Matthew 5:34, "Do not swear at all," that is unlikely. From the evil one: i.e., from the devil. Oath-taking presupposes a sinful weakness of the human race, namely, the tendency to lie. Jesus demands of his disciples a truthfulness that makes oaths unnecessary.
Meditation: "Whoever does and teaches the commandments
shall be called great”
Why do people tend to view the “law of God” negatively rather
than positively? Jesus’ attitude towards the law of God can be summed up in the
great prayer of Psalm 119: “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation
all the day.” For the people of Israel the “law” could refer to the ten
commandments or to the five Books of Moses, called the Pentateuch, which explain
the commandments and ordinances of God for his people. The “law” also referred
to the whole teaching or way of life which God gave to his people. The Jews in
Jesus’ time also used it as a description of the oral or scribal law. Needless
to say, the scribes added many more things to the law than God intended. That
is why Jesus often condemned the scribal law. It placed burdens on people which
God had not intended. Jesus, however, made it very clear that the essence of
God’s law – his commandments and way of life, must be fulfilled. The law of God
is truth and when we live according to that truth it produces the fruits of
righteousness, holiness, peace, and joy.
Jesus taught reverence for God’s law – reverence for God
himself, for the Lord’s Day, reverence or respect for parents, respect for
life, for property, for another person’s good name, respect for oneself and for
one’s neighbor lest wrong or hurtful desires master us. Reverence and respect
for God’s commandments teach us the way of love – love of God and love of
neighbor. What is impossible to men is possible to God and those who have faith
in God. God gives us the grace to love as he loves, to forgive as he forgives,
to think as he thinks, and to act as he acts. The Lord loves righteousness and hates
wickedness. As his followers we must love his commandments and hate every form
of sin. Do you love the commands of the Lord?
Are you ever driven by anger, rage, or revenge? The first person
to hate his brother was Cain. God warned Cain: ‘Why are you angry? ..Sin in
couching at the door; it’s desire is for you, but you must master it (Genesis
4:6-7). Sin doesn’t just happen to us; it first grows as a tiny seed in our
heart. Unless it is uprooted, by God’s grace, it grows like a weed and chokes
the vine and all its fruit. Jesus addressed the issue of keeping the
commandments with his disciples. The scribes and Pharisees equated
righteousness with satisfying the outward observance of the law. Jesus showed
them how short they had come. Jesus points to the heart as the seat of desire
and choice. Unless evil and forbidden desires are eradicated, the heart will be
corrupted. Jesus points to forbidden anger with one's brother. This is a
selfish anger that broods and is long-lived, that nurses a grudge and keeps wrath
warm, and that refuses to die. Harboring anger in the heart as well as anger in
speech and action are equally forbidden by God.
What is the antidote to anger and rage? Mercy, kindness, and
forbearance spring from a heart full of love and forgiveness. God has forgiven
us and he calls us to extend mercy and forgiveness towards those who cause us
grief and harm. In the cross of Jesus we see the supreme example of love
and forgiveness and the power of goodness for overcoming evil. Only God’s love and
grace can set our hearts and minds free from the tyranny of wounded pride and
spiteful revenge. Do you harbor any anger towards another person? And are you
quick to be reconciled when a rupture has been caused in your relationships?
Ask God to set you free and to fill your heart and mind with his love and
goodness. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been poured
into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us"
(Romans 5:5). Through the grace and help of the Holy Spirit we can overcome
malice with good, hatred with kindness, and injury with pardon.
What does Jesus mean when he says “pluck out your eye “ or “cut
off your hand and throw it away” if it leads you to sin? Is he
exaggerating here? Jesus used forceful language to urge his disciples to choose
for life – an enduring life of joy and happiness with God – rather than for
death – an unending death and total separation from a community of love, peace,
joy and friendship with God. Jesus set before his disciples the one goal in life
that is worth any sacrifice and that goal is the conformity of our will with
God and what he desires for our well-being and happiness with him. Just as a
doctor might remove some part of the body, such as a diseased limb, in order to
preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part with anything
that causes us to sin and which inevitably leads to spiritual death.
Jesus warns us of the terrible responsibility that we must set
no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad
example that might lead another to sin. The young in faith are especially
vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith.
Jesus teaches that righteousness involves responding to every situation in life
in a way that fulfill's God's law, not just externally but internally as well.
Jesus says that evil desires spring from the heart. That is why the sin of
adultery must first be dealt with in the heart, the place not only of the
emotions, but the mind, will, thought, and intentions as well. God’s intention
and ideal from the beginning was for man and woman to be indissolubly united in
marriage as “one flesh” (see Genesis 2:23-24). That ideal is found in the
unbreakable union of Adam and Eve. They were created for each other and for no
one else. They are the pattern and symbol for all who were to come. Moses
permitted divorce as a concession in view of a lost ideal (see Mark 10:2-9).
Jesus sets the high ideal of the married state before those who are willing to
accept his commands. Jesus gives the grace and power of his Holy Spirit to
those who seek to follow his way of holiness in their state of life – whether
married or single. If we want to live righteously as God desires for us, then
we must know and understand the intention of God's commands for us, and decide
in our heart to obey the Lord. Through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit,
the Lord writes his law on our hearts and gives us his power to live his way of
righteousness and holiness. Do you trust in God’s love and allow his Holy
Spirit to fill you with a thirst for holiness and righteousness in every area
of your life?
“Lord Jesus, grant this day, to direct and sanctify, to rule and
govern our hearts and bodies, so that all our thoughts, words and deeds may be according
to your Father’s law and thus may we be saved and protected through your mighty
help.”
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Fraternal Reconciliation
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Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Father Matthew Kaderabek, LC
Matthew 5:20-22, 27-28, 33-34, 37
Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your
righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter
into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to your
ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to
judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ´Raqa,´ will be answerable
to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ´You fool,´ will be liable to fiery
Gehenna. You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit
adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has
already committed adultery with her in his heart. You have heard that it was
said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to
the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by
heaven, for it is God´s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Let your ´Yes´ mean
´Yes,´ and your ´No´ mean ´No.´ Anything more is from the Evil One. "
Introductory Prayer:Lord, I can be so cold to your salvific presence as I hurry
about living the moment and becoming so sufficient unto myself. There is
little wonder that I find it hard to bring myself to prayer—to use faith to
know you, divine love to live in you, and theological hope to trust in you. I
approach you now, wanting only to be a more faithful disciple of your
Kingdom.
Petition: Christ, help me to be reconciled with others.
1. It Was Said to Your Ancestors That You Shall Not Kill … But
I Say to You: In the Old Testament God gave the command, “Love your neighbor
as yourself.” This seems difficult enough to do, but in the New Testament,
Our Lord requires much more. The night before he died, Jesus said to his
disciples—and he says now to us—, “Love one another as I have loved you”
(John 15:12). How did Jesus love us? We have only to look at the crucifix. He
laid down his life for us so that, purified by his Precious Blood, we might
be united with the Most Blessed Trinity in the eternal happiness of heaven.
2. “Be Reconciled with Your Brother” - Jesus does not say
“neighbor,” but “brother.” In taking upon himself our human nature, Jesus
Christ became our brother and the head of the whole human race. He has raised
us all, through him, to the dignity of the divine adoption, in such a manner
that all Christians compose only one family of which God is the Father and
Jesus the first-born Son. Each person we meet is—or is potentially—our
brother or sister in Christ. Each is—or is potentially—a member of the
family. Therefore, Jesus teaches us that, “whatever you do to the least of my
brethren, you do to me.”
3. “Go First and Be Reconciled With Your Brother, and Then
Come and Offer Your Gift.” - The great St. Thomas More was about to offer God the gift of
his martyrdom. It was the month of July 1535. As soon as the unjust court
pronounced the sentence of death, Sir Thomas asked to say a few words. He
reminded these noblemen that St. Paul and St. Stephen were once on opposite
sides and yet, as saints now in heaven, they remain friends forever. He
continued: “I shall therefore rightly pray, that though your lordships have
now here on earth been judges to my condemnation, we may yet hereafter in
heaven all meet together, to our everlasting salvation.” What heroic charity!
How was it possible? It was possible because St. Thomas saw his judges with
the eyes of Christ. He sees them as human beings who are beloved of God and
destined for heaven. So he prays that they will repent of their injustice and
receive God’s mercy.
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to
see my brother as you see him: a person so valuable that you laid down your
life for him. Help me to love my brother as you have loved us, with humility
and generosity, without counting the cost. I pray especially for those who
have injured me or those whom I have injured.
Resolution: I will offer this day for the eternal salvation of all those
whom God has, in some way, entrusted to my care.
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SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, MATTHEW 5:17-37
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, MATTHEW 5:17-37
(Sirach 15:15-20; Psalm 119; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10)
KEY VERSE: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets" (v.17).
READING: Jesus was continually challenged by the religious leaders regarding the Law of Moses. Jesus said that he had come to fulfill the law, not do away with it. By his life and teachings, Jesus embodied the law, raising it to new heights and deepening its meaning. He said that obeying the external "letter" of the law was not as important as the interior spirit of fidelity to God's purpose, which was to bring people into proper relationship with God and one another. While murder was forbidden, Jesus also disapproved of anger, the motive behind murder. Jesus denounced infidelity, but he also opposed lust and permissiveness. Among Christians who were honest in their dealings with others, a simple "Yes" or "No" made oaths unnecessary. Jesus invited his disciples to move beyond "an eye for an eye" (Mt 5:38) in seeking vengeance. He asked, can you love your enemy? Can you let go of bitterness, hatred and murderous thoughts, and give back understanding, forgiveness and healing? Jesus declared that anyone with ill-will toward another must first go and be reconciled with that person before coming to the altar to worship God. Without willingness to have one's heart changed, salvation could not be experienced.
REFLECTING: Where have I failed in charity, faithfulness and truthfulness in keeping God's law?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to be reconciled with my brothers and sisters.
NOTE: The Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Penance or Confession) has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. In it we find God's unconditional forgiveness; as a result we are called to forgive others.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Stay Focused!
The next time you are distracted, ask the Lord what is at the
heart of that distraction. Pray for grace to turn your heart back to God. As
St. Francis de Sales wrote, even if you spend your entire prayer time offering
your distractions back to him, your prayer will be worthwhile.
Happy are they who follow the law
of the Lord!
Happy are all those who follow the Lord.Having read your words today, dear Lord, we are going to ponder on the obvious, if you will bear with us. It is not original to say that every human being wants to be happy. Those of us who remember the old catechism know that we were not promised happiness here but to be happy forever in heaven with you - not very appealing. It is obvious to say that we all look for happiness in different ways; some in other people, some in possessions, some in bodily comfort and strong drink. Where should we look? After pondering on this, we think a good solution would be to go with St Paul who says, ‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances.’ We needn’t take St Paul’s word for it. Let us try it and see.
February
16
St. Gilbert of Sempringham
(c. 1083-1189)
St. Gilbert of Sempringham
(c. 1083-1189)
Gilbert was born in Sempringham, England, into a wealthy family,
but he followed a path quite different from that expected of him as the son of
a Norman knight. Sent to France for his higher education, he decided to pursue
seminary studies.
He
returned to England not yet ordained a priest, and inherited several estates
from his father. But Gilbert avoided the easy life he could have led under the
circumstances. Instead he lived a simple life at a parish, sharing as much as
possible with the poor. Following his ordination to the priesthood he served as
parish priest at Sempringham.
Among the
congregation were seven young women who had expressed to him their desire to
live in religious life. In response, Gilbert had a house built for them
adjacent to the Church. There they lived an austere life, but one which
attracted ever more numbers; eventually lay sisters and lay brothers were added
to work the land. The religious order formed eventually became known as the
Gilbertines, though Gilbert had hoped the Cistercians or some other existing
order would take on the responsibility of establishing a rule of life for the
new order. The Gilbertines, the only religious order of English origin founded
during the Middle Ages, continued to thrive. But the order came to an end when
King Henry VIII suppressed all Catholic monasteries.
Over the
years a special custom grew up in the houses of the order called "the
plate of the Lord Jesus." The best portions of the dinner were put on a
special plate and shared with the poor, reflecting Gilbert's lifelong concern
for less fortunate people.
Throughout
his life Gilbert lived simply, consumed little food and spent a good portion of
many nights in prayer. Despite the rigors of such a life he died at well over
age 100.
Comment:
When he came into his father’s wealth, Gilbert could have lived a life of luxury, as many of his fellow priests did at the time. Instead, he chose to share his wealth with the poor. The charming habit of filling “the plate of the Lord Jesus” in the monasteries he established reflected his concern. Today’s Operation Rice Bowl echoes that habit: eating a simpler meal and letting the difference in the grocery bill help feed the hungry.
When he came into his father’s wealth, Gilbert could have lived a life of luxury, as many of his fellow priests did at the time. Instead, he chose to share his wealth with the poor. The charming habit of filling “the plate of the Lord Jesus” in the monasteries he established reflected his concern. Today’s Operation Rice Bowl echoes that habit: eating a simpler meal and letting the difference in the grocery bill help feed the hungry.
LECTIO DIVINA:
6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)
Lectio:
Sunday, February 16, 2014
The new "justice"
This was said to the ancients, but I tell you...
Mt 5:17-37
This was said to the ancients, but I tell you...
Mt 5:17-37
1. LECTIO
a) Opening prayer
"Speak, Lord, that your servant is listening. " Speak
to us now, Lord! We want to make room for your Word, to allow the words of the
Gospel permeate our lives so that you become the light the strength of
our way, vivify and transform our attitudes. We all want to mature in the way
of listening to your words so that our hearts are transformed.
In us, there is a desire reading and understand why we are
expecting for your bounty and generosity to be guided in comprehending of your
Word.
Let your word to our hearts cannot find any obstacles or
resistance. That your word of life does not flow in vain or in the dried desert
of our lives. Enter in our empty hearts with the power of your Word, come to
take the place among our thoughts and feelings, come to live with us in the
light of your truth.
b) Gospel according to Matthew ( Mt 5:17-37)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with brother
will be liable to judgment;
and whoever says to brother, ‘Raqa,’
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’
will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with brother
will be liable to judgment;
and whoever says to brother, ‘Raqa,’
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’
will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife -‑ unless the marriage is unlawful -‑
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife -‑ unless the marriage is unlawful -‑
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
c) Moment of silence
The silence creates an internal atmosphere of intimacy and at
the same time increase the spiritual taste of your Word.
2. MEDITATIO
a) Key to the reading
Mt 5-7: The context in the “Sermon on the mount”
Jesus addressed to the crowds who are in hurry to listen to his
teaching. They are amazed with his authority. He speaks to them with strong
demand and points out that we are children of God and brothers and sister to
each others. In the attempt to give the full meaning of the precept of the
Jewish law.
The evangelist, in locating the first discourse of Jesus on the
mountain, wished to draw the attention to the readers the image of Moses giving
the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:9). This teaching takes place as Jesus is
seated, a position that recalls the attitude of the Jewish rabbi who interprets
Scripture to his disciples. It is difficult to capture the richness of
the themes that run through long speech, as some scholars prefer to call
it “the evangelical words of Jesus"(cf. 7:28).
Our liturgical text is preceded by a prologue in which the
Beatitudes are presented as the fulfillment of the Law (Mt 5.3 to 16). The
message of Jesus in this teaching focuses on happiness in the biblical sense,
which places man in right relationship with God and, therefore, with total
life: happiness tied to the reality of the kingdom of heaven. In a second part
Jesus develops the theme of "justice" of the kingdom of heaven (5.17
to 7.12).
Mt 5.17: Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets.
In these first statements Jesus presents himself as the one who come to "fulfills the law": "Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets: I came not to abolish but to fully fulfill them " (v.17). Jesus declares that he is the fulfillment of the law.
In these first statements Jesus presents himself as the one who come to "fulfills the law": "Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets: I came not to abolish but to fully fulfill them " (v.17). Jesus declares that he is the fulfillment of the law.
The consequences of such words are thus understood by the
reader: only through him what we can enter the kingdom of heaven, even the
smallest of the commandments makes sense through Him. It's like saying that
Jesus is the measure to enter the kingdom of heaven: in Him, anyone, great or
small, depends on the choice of letting ourselves be led by one who fulfills
the Law and the Prophets. Henceforth the law, the teaching of the prophets, the
justice the salvation must bond with Him.
The reader knows that in the Old Testament these truths were
seen like separate and distinguished among them: the Law contained the will of
God; justice expressed the human engagement in order to observe the contents of
God’s will in the Law; the Prophets, exegetes of the Law, were the witnesses of
the implementation of the fidelity of God in the history. In the person of
Jesus these three truths are unified: they find their meaning and value. Jesus
declares openly that he has come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. What do
these affirmations of Jesus mean? What is the meaning of “the Law and the
Prophets”? We cannot be thinking of Jesus carrying out prophecies (from a point
of view of the content, or in the literal sense) of the Law and the Prophets,
but rather the instructions of the Law and the Prophets. But in particular way
what means “to abolish”, “to fulfill” the instructions of the Law and the
Prophets? The answer is placed at two levels.
The first one regards the instruction of Jesus, than it does not
change the contents of the Law and the Prophets and whose function was
didactic-instructive; indeed, Mathew considers the Prophets like the witnesses
of the commandment of love (Os 6,6 // Mt 9,13; 12,7). That Jesus
accomplishes the instructions of the Law and the Prophets can mean that
“manifest them in their meaning”, “brings to complete expression” (U. Luz); it
is from excluding the meaning of “to invalidate”, “to abolish”, “not to observe”,
“to break( to smash)”.
The second level is referred to the involved acting of
Jesus: does the law itself changes or not? In this case to fulfill the Law
could mean that Jesus, with its behavior, adds something that lacks or brings
to fulfillment, it perfects the instructions of the Law. In more concrete
terms: Jesus in His life, with its obedience to the Father, “accomplished” the
requirements demanded from the Law and the Prophets; after all, He observes the
Law completely. More meaningfully: through His dead and resurrection Jesus has
fulfilled the Law. To us it seems that the emphasis is placed on the behavior
of Jesus: with obedience and practice He has fulfilled the Law and the
Prophets.
Mt 5,19: Jesus who teaches the will of the Father and the fulfillment
of the Law.
To the reader the use of the verbs “to act and to teach” doesn’t
escape: the precepts of the Law for “who will observe them
and will teach them”. Such aspects pick in full load the total image of
Jesus in the thought of Mathew: Jesus who teaches the will of God and the
achievement of the Law is the obedience son of the Father(3,13-4,11). Here the
behavior model that appears to us from this Gospel page. Sure, the emphasis is
on the implementation of the Law through obedience, but that does not exclude a
fulfillment by means of His instruction. We do not forget that to Mathew it is
important the conformity of the practice with the instruction of Jesus:
he is master in obedience and the practice. However the praxis as it infers from
the warming to watch itself from the pseudo prophets in 7,20 is priority: “From
their fruits you will recognize them”. It is interesting to notice that Mathew
uses this verb to complete, to fulfill, only for Jesus: only him completes the
Law, only His person introduces the characteristics of the fullness. Here roots
its authoritative invitation, that becomes a “shipment”, a task to
complete the Law in fullness: “I say to you…” (vv. 18.20).
Mt 5,20 Jesus fulfills justice.
Such implementation is distinguished from the ways to comprise
it and to live it in the Judaism; in Jesus a new specificity of the justice is
introduced: “I say to you in fact: if your justice will not exceed that one of
the scribes and the Pharisees, you will not enter in the kingdom of heaven” (v.
20). The scribes are the theologians and the official interpreters of Writing
(5,21-48), the Pharisees, instead, are the actively engaged lays of that time,
excessively taken from the practice of mercy (6,1-18). Justice practiced from
these two groups is not sufficient, cannot serve from model: it prevents to
enter in the kingdom of heaven. The addressees of this warning, in the end, are
the disciples; it is addressed to us. Sure the will of God it is drowned
to the Law, but he is Jesus who incarnates a new way to put the justice in
practice. Jesus asks one “greater justice”, than, what does it refers to? That
one of the Scribes and the Pharisees has been aligned to the justice of the
men, that one preached from Jesus, instead, demands one justice more
substantial, significantly greater to that one practiced from the Judaism. In
what consists this “more” our text doesn’t precise immediately, it
is necessary to read the continuation of the instruction of Jesus.
Mt 5,20 The radicalism of the justice preached from Jesus.
It is not about to stand out in radical way some commandments of
the Law; it is rather primary that the commandment of the love is to the center
of these single commandments. The “most quantitative one” guides to strengthen
the qualitative aspect in front of God: the commandment of love. The believing
community is called to subordinate to the commandment of love, seen as central,
the various commandments of Law. There is no tension between the single
garnishments and the commandment of love. The instructions of Jesus become
binding, online with the instructions from the old testament. For Jesus there
is no opposition between the single prescription of the Law and the commandment
of love: they are to be considered in a harmonious relationship because in
their entirety it is offered the will of God to us (U. Luz).
Mt 5,23-25: How to relate between siblings?
Between the radical requirements inborn in inviting to follow
him, Jesus faces the argument of the relations fraternity. It isn’t enough to
define all the engagement to the external action of not to kill: “You have
heard that it was said from the old ones: You will not kill…” (v. 21); it is
essential to break off such narrow norm therefore, but also radical: not to
kill! The fifth commandment recommended the respect of life (Es 20,13; Dt
5,17). A deepening or a completely new horizon in the spirit of the Decalogue
comes forward now. If it is not concurred to kill a person physically it wants
to say that it is allowed to make it in other ways: hatred, the offense, the
gossip, the depreciation, the anger, the insult. In the completely new
perspective of the Speech of the Mountain, every lack of love towards the next
one involves the same guiltiness of the homicide. In fact the temper, the anger,
the depreciation are rooted in an undivided heart of love. For Jesus s' it does
not break the single Law just by killing, but also with all those actions that
they try to destroy or “to make useless” the other.
Jesus doesn’t deal the issue of who is right or who is wrong but
who “offends the brother or slanders him in public does not have more space in
front of God, because homicide” (Bonhoeffer, Sequela 120). From here the
severity that denies value to the offer, the cult, the prayer and the Eucharistic
celebration. Who has separated himself from the brother also has separated
himself from the relation with God. It needs, then, of a previous
reconciliation with the brother that has something against him: Against you,
not you against him. Innovation in this word, even if not easy is one to share.
To my brother that has “something against me” I answer coming upon him: “first,
go to reconcile yourself”, without increasing the distance. It is not alone a
question of asking forgiveness: it is urgent to reconstruct the fraternal
relations because the good of the brother is my good. Jesus says: “Go ”before”…
In the first place, before praying, before donating, before that the other
makes the first step, is the movement of my heart, of my body towards the other.
Such going towards the other it has the purpose of the resetting of the
laceration; a movement that stretches to the reconciliation.
b) Some questions
To put the meditation and practice.
1. In your life, do you always
open to Jesus' request for a greater justice? Are you aware that they are not
yet in full justice?
2. In the practice of justice, do
you match it with the act of God? Do not you know that justice live in the
human relations has been given to us? A confirmation you may find it the word
of the Apostle Paul: "My righteousness is not having as one arising from
the law, but that which comes from faith in Christ, the righteousness which
comes from God based on faith"(Phil 3:9).
3. The expression of Jesus “but I
say to you” it is for us an imperative or a theoretical commandment? Are we
aware that the more and more great justice is nothing else that the continuous
availability to be confronted with the existence of Christ, the only one just
(fair)?
4. Our justice is engaged to imitate
something of the justice of God, of his gratuity, his creativity? God renders
us just, free us from the paralysis of the sin; once rendered free, we mutually
transmit this liberation, practicing a justice that it does not judge,
but always leaves opened, indeed it creates for the other spaces of a possible
return to one authentic life
3. ORARIO
a) Psalm 119 (1-5, 17-18, 33-34)
The Psalm invites to us to obey to the law of God with all the
personal effort. Such possibility is not only an external obligation but a gift
granted to the man that put its confidence in God. The practical of the new
justice in order to enter in the Kingdom of heaven cannot only come from an
individualistic commitment, but from a familiar and constant dialogue with the
Word of God.
Happy those whose way is blameless, who walk by the teaching of
the LORD.
Happy those who observe God's decrees, who seek the LORD with
all their heart.
They do no wrong; they walk in God's ways.
You have given them the command to keep your precepts with care.
May my ways be firm in the observance of your laws!
Be kind to your servant that I may live, that I may keep your
word.
Open my eyes to see clearly the wonders of your teachings.
LORD, teach me the way of your laws; I shall observe them with
care.
Give me insight to observe your teaching, to keep it with all my
heart.
b) Final prayer
The Word that we have listened and meditated on has
appeared to us quite strong, oh my Lord, and has put in crisis our attitude:
“Go to reconcile yourself!”. In the first place, before being in front of the
altar, before introducing our things and donate them to you with love, before
that it is the brother to take the initiative, help our heart to complete that
movement that recomposes the conflict, the laceration, therefore to recompose
the lost harmony.
4. CONTEMPATIO
Saint John Chrysostom invites us with force and firmness: “When
you refuse to pardon your enemy you, damage yourself, not him. What you are
preparing is a punishment for you in the day of the judgment” (Speeches 2,6).
Let yourself be transformed by God’s love of, in order to change
your life, to convert yourself, to find again the way of life.
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