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.
Responsorial PsalmPS 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34
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!
Reading 21 COR 2:6-10
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.
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.
AlleluiaMT 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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 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 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.
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.”
or
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.
“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.
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.
“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.
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.”
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.”
Meditation:
Great
are those who teach and obey the commandments
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 or Torah, 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 because it placed
burdens on people which God had not intended.
The
essence of God's law
Jesus made it very clear that the essence of God's law - his commandments and way of life, must be fulfilled. God's law is true and righteous because it flows from his love, goodness, and holiness. It is a law of grace, love, and freedom for us. That is why God commands us to love him above all else and to follow in the way of his Son, the Lord Jesus who taught us how to love by laying down our lives for one another.
Jesus made it very clear that the essence of God's law - his commandments and way of life, must be fulfilled. God's law is true and righteous because it flows from his love, goodness, and holiness. It is a law of grace, love, and freedom for us. That is why God commands us to love him above all else and to follow in the way of his Son, the Lord Jesus who taught us how to love by laying down our lives for one another.
Reverence
and respect
Jesus taught reverence and respect for God’s law - reverence for God himself, reverence 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 and enslave 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 humans is possible to God who gives generously of his gifts and the power of the Holy Spirit to those who put their faith and trust in him.
Jesus taught reverence and respect for God’s law - reverence for God himself, reverence 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 and enslave 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 humans is possible to God who gives generously of his gifts and the power of the Holy Spirit to those who put their faith and trust in him.
God
gives us the grace, help, and strength to love as he loves, to forgive as he
forgives, to think and judge as he judges, and to act as he acts with mercy,
loving-kindness, and goodness. The Lord loves righteousness and hates
wickedness. As his followers we must love his commandments and hate every form
of sin and wrong-doing. 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. Do you seek to understand the intention
of his law and to grow in wisdom of his ways?
The
Holy Spirit transforms our minds and hearts
Jesus promised his disciples that he would give them the gift of the Holy Spirit who writes God's law of love and truth on our hearts. The Holy Spirit teaches us God's truth and gives us wisdom and understanding of God's ways. The Spirit helps us in our weakness, strengthens us in temptation, and transforms us, day by day, into the likeness of Jesus Christ, our Merciful Savior and Humble Lord. There is great blessing and reward for those who obey God's commandments and who encourage others, especially the younger generations, to love, respect, and obey the Lord. 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? Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with a burning desire and reverence for God's life-giving word so that you may grow day by day in the wisdom and knowledge of God's love, truth, and goodness.
Jesus promised his disciples that he would give them the gift of the Holy Spirit who writes God's law of love and truth on our hearts. The Holy Spirit teaches us God's truth and gives us wisdom and understanding of God's ways. The Spirit helps us in our weakness, strengthens us in temptation, and transforms us, day by day, into the likeness of Jesus Christ, our Merciful Savior and Humble Lord. There is great blessing and reward for those who obey God's commandments and who encourage others, especially the younger generations, to love, respect, and obey the Lord. 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? Ask the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with a burning desire and reverence for God's life-giving word so that you may grow day by day in the wisdom and knowledge of God's love, truth, and goodness.
"Lord
Jesus, begin a new work of love within me. Instill in me a greater love and
respect for your commandments. Give me a burning desire to live a life of
holiness and righteousness. Purify my thoughts, desires, and intentions that I
may only desire what is pleasing to you and in accord with your will."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: What you teach, you should do, by
Chromatius (died 406 AD)
"While
it is sinful to abolish the least of the commandments, all the more so the
great and most important ones. Hence the Holy Spirit affirms through Solomon:
'Whoever despises the little things shall gradually die' (Sirach 19:1b).
Consequently nothing in the divine commandments must be abolished, nothing
altered. Everything must be preserved and taught faithfully and devotedly that
the glory of the heavenly kingdom may not be lost. Indeed, those things
considered least important and small by the unfaithful or by worldly people are
not small before God but necessary. For the Lord taught the commandments and
did them. Even small things point to the great future of the kingdom of heaven.
For this reason, not only words but also deeds are important; and you should
not only teach, but what you teach, you should do." (excerpt from
TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 20.2.1–3)
[Note:
Chromatius was an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was
a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome
described him as a "most learned and most holy man."]
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Sirach 15:15-20
The author of Sirach was Jesus, the son of Eleazar, of the family of Sirach. He was by profession a teacher of Wisdom in Jerusalem. Sirach wrote during the early decades of the 2nd century before Christ, just prior to the Maccabean wars. During this critical period of Jewish history, when the Chosen People were in danger of becoming Hellenized and paganized, he stoutly champions the old religion and its sacred books, and shows how its lessons are applicable to every circumstance in life. In order to make his readers proud of being Jews, he eulogizes the heroes of Israel from Noah to Simon (the Greek spelling, Simeon the Hebrew spelling) the High Priest.
The wealth of practical wisdom contained in the book of Sirach won for it the honorable title of Ecclesiasticus, as it is called in the Douay-Reims translation, which means “Ecclesiastical Book” or “Church Book” and for its author, the surname of “The Pedagogue” (The Schoolteacher). It appears to have been much used in the early Church as a textbook for the instruction of catechumens (candidates for baptism).
Sirach was originally written in Hebrew. A grandson of the author translated it into Greek about the year 130 B.C. It is the only book in the Bible which contains a prologue, written by the grandson who translated the book, which is not considered inspired.
Today’s reading comes from the section of Sirach’s writing on man’s free will and responsibility.
15 If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do his will. 16 There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. 17 Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.
The heart of the argument presented here is that each individual has the radical freedom to choose “life” by obeying the Law or “death” by refusing to obey (see Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
18 Immense is the wisdom of the LORD; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing. 19 The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man’s every deed. 20 No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies.
The heart of the argument presented here is that each individual has the radical freedom to choose “life” by obeying the Law or “death” by refusing to obey (see Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Last week we heard Saint Paul address how his preaching illustrates the fact that man’s strength and wisdom are nothing compared to those of God. Today we hear him tell of the true wisdom of God.
6 Yet 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.
The world has not yet been transformed by the redemptive power of Christ. It lies subject to Satan and the wicked spirits until the final act of the drama of redemption, the parousia of the Lord. Contemporary Jewish theology contrasted “this age” with “the age to come.” Christ’s giving of Himself has brought about the meeting of the two ages and freed man from the influence of “this age” as He ushered all mankind into “the age to come”. The “rulers of this age” are the wicked spirits who, since Adam’s sin, have held this world in slavery but with the advent of the Messianic age, they are headed for destruction. The pagans who, blinded by sin, failed to recognize and worship God the Creator, and Jewish interpretations of Scripture, which failed to see in Jesus the promised Messiah. Both Jew and Gentile are enslaved by the elements of the world, the wicked spirits who rule the age.
“The mature are those who preach the cross as wisdom because of the witness of Christ’s power at work. They know that actions speak louder than words. Their wisdom is not of this age but of the age to come, when the truth of God will be manifested to those who now deny it.” [The Ambrosiaster (A.D. 366-384), Commentaries on Thirteen Pauline Epistles 1 Corinthians 2,6]
7 Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden,
Since Christ, the Wisdom of God, is a mystery, men can know Him only by revelation. The divine wisdom lies hidden in the folly and scandal of the cross. The end of this divine economy of salvation is our glory, our participation in the glorious resurrection of Christ.
which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,
Through the fall, humanity lost the ability to glorify God. Christ had this capacity, and those who belong to Him grow into it gradually (2 Corinthians 3:18). It is in this sense that glory is the goal of the plan of salvation.
“Paul is keen to point out that God always loved us, even from the very beginning, when we did not yet exist. For if he had not loved us, he would not have foreordained our riches. Look beyond the broken relationship which has come in between, and you will see that God’s love for us is more ancient still.” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392), Homilies on the
First Epistle to the Corinthians 7,5]
8 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.
Had the arrogant authorities and wicked spirits known the mystery of Christ and that salvation would have been achieved through the humiliating death of Jesus, they would have tried to frustrate it by letting Him live. “Lord of glory” is a divine title in 1 Enoch 63:2 and Psalm 44:8. Here it implies Christ’s messiahship and divinity.
“But if Christ had not been put to death, death would not have died. The devil was overcome by his own trophy, for the devil rejoiced when, by seducing the first man, he cast him into death. By seducing the first man, he killed him (Genesis 3:1-19). By killing the last man, he lost the first from his snare.” [Saint Augustine of Hippo (ca. A.D. 417), The Ascension 263]
9 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,”
The formula would indicate that a biblical text is being quoted, but the source of the citation is doubtful. There are a few resemblances to Isaiah 64:3 and 65:16 but the actual citation is not contained in the Old Testament. Origin, The Ambrosiaster and Jerome thought that Saint Paul was quoting from the Apocalypse of Elijah, an apocryphal writing of which only fragments exist today.
10 this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.
“Us” may refer either to Paul and his fellow preachers, or all the baptized. The former is probably the case from the context, as Paul proceeds to give a discourse on wisdom.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Sirach 15:15-20
The author of Sirach was Jesus, the son of Eleazar, of the family of Sirach. He was by profession a teacher of Wisdom in Jerusalem. Sirach wrote during the early decades of the 2nd century before Christ, just prior to the Maccabean wars. During this critical period of Jewish history, when the Chosen People were in danger of becoming Hellenized and paganized, he stoutly champions the old religion and its sacred books, and shows how its lessons are applicable to every circumstance in life. In order to make his readers proud of being Jews, he eulogizes the heroes of Israel from Noah to Simon (the Greek spelling, Simeon the Hebrew spelling) the High Priest.
The wealth of practical wisdom contained in the book of Sirach won for it the honorable title of Ecclesiasticus, as it is called in the Douay-Reims translation, which means “Ecclesiastical Book” or “Church Book” and for its author, the surname of “The Pedagogue” (The Schoolteacher). It appears to have been much used in the early Church as a textbook for the instruction of catechumens (candidates for baptism).
Sirach was originally written in Hebrew. A grandson of the author translated it into Greek about the year 130 B.C. It is the only book in the Bible which contains a prologue, written by the grandson who translated the book, which is not considered inspired.
Today’s reading comes from the section of Sirach’s writing on man’s free will and responsibility.
15 If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do his will. 16 There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. 17 Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.
The heart of the argument presented here is that each individual has the radical freedom to choose “life” by obeying the Law or “death” by refusing to obey (see Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
18 Immense is the wisdom of the LORD; he is mighty in power, and all-seeing. 19 The eyes of God see all he has made; he understands man’s every deed. 20 No man does he command to sin, to none does he give strength for lies.
The heart of the argument presented here is that each individual has the radical freedom to choose “life” by obeying the Law or “death” by refusing to obey (see Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Last week we heard Saint Paul address how his preaching illustrates the fact that man’s strength and wisdom are nothing compared to those of God. Today we hear him tell of the true wisdom of God.
6 Yet 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.
The world has not yet been transformed by the redemptive power of Christ. It lies subject to Satan and the wicked spirits until the final act of the drama of redemption, the parousia of the Lord. Contemporary Jewish theology contrasted “this age” with “the age to come.” Christ’s giving of Himself has brought about the meeting of the two ages and freed man from the influence of “this age” as He ushered all mankind into “the age to come”. The “rulers of this age” are the wicked spirits who, since Adam’s sin, have held this world in slavery but with the advent of the Messianic age, they are headed for destruction. The pagans who, blinded by sin, failed to recognize and worship God the Creator, and Jewish interpretations of Scripture, which failed to see in Jesus the promised Messiah. Both Jew and Gentile are enslaved by the elements of the world, the wicked spirits who rule the age.
“The mature are those who preach the cross as wisdom because of the witness of Christ’s power at work. They know that actions speak louder than words. Their wisdom is not of this age but of the age to come, when the truth of God will be manifested to those who now deny it.” [The Ambrosiaster (A.D. 366-384), Commentaries on Thirteen Pauline Epistles 1 Corinthians 2,6]
7 Rather, we speak God’s wisdom, mysterious, hidden,
Since Christ, the Wisdom of God, is a mystery, men can know Him only by revelation. The divine wisdom lies hidden in the folly and scandal of the cross. The end of this divine economy of salvation is our glory, our participation in the glorious resurrection of Christ.
which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,
Through the fall, humanity lost the ability to glorify God. Christ had this capacity, and those who belong to Him grow into it gradually (2 Corinthians 3:18). It is in this sense that glory is the goal of the plan of salvation.
“Paul is keen to point out that God always loved us, even from the very beginning, when we did not yet exist. For if he had not loved us, he would not have foreordained our riches. Look beyond the broken relationship which has come in between, and you will see that God’s love for us is more ancient still.” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392), Homilies on the
First Epistle to the Corinthians 7,5]
8 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.
Had the arrogant authorities and wicked spirits known the mystery of Christ and that salvation would have been achieved through the humiliating death of Jesus, they would have tried to frustrate it by letting Him live. “Lord of glory” is a divine title in 1 Enoch 63:2 and Psalm 44:8. Here it implies Christ’s messiahship and divinity.
“But if Christ had not been put to death, death would not have died. The devil was overcome by his own trophy, for the devil rejoiced when, by seducing the first man, he cast him into death. By seducing the first man, he killed him (Genesis 3:1-19). By killing the last man, he lost the first from his snare.” [Saint Augustine of Hippo (ca. A.D. 417), The Ascension 263]
9 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,”
The formula would indicate that a biblical text is being quoted, but the source of the citation is doubtful. There are a few resemblances to Isaiah 64:3 and 65:16 but the actual citation is not contained in the Old Testament. Origin, The Ambrosiaster and Jerome thought that Saint Paul was quoting from the Apocalypse of Elijah, an apocryphal writing of which only fragments exist today.
10 this God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.
“Us” may refer either to Paul and his fellow preachers, or all the baptized. The former is probably the case from the context, as Paul proceeds to give a discourse on wisdom.
Gospel - Matthew 5:17-37
We are still at the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has delivered it and is now applying the beatitudes to the hearers of the sermon. The verses we hear today give the basic legal principles of the sermon. They are the most controversial verses in Matthew because no major Christian church requires observance of all 613 precepts of the Old Testament law, both ethical and ceremonial, but only the ethical commands such as the 10 commandments and the commands to love God and neighbor. In the initial encounter of the Gospel with Judaism, as well as in those primitive churches that were entirely or largely Jewish in membership, the attitude of Jesus and the Church to the Law was an urgent question. The Law had a sacredness and a saving value in Pharisaic Judaism. The Law was thought to be the summary of all wisdom – human and divine, the revelation of God Himself, a complete and a secure guide of conduct and endowed with a sacramental assurance of good relations with God.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
It was not the mission of Jesus to annul (break down, as in a camp) the Law and the prophets (these two words, “Law” and “prophets”, were often used to designate the whole collection of the books of the Old Testament), His mission is to fulfill them. “Fulfill” means to bring the Law to perfection, to give it that finality the Pharisees believed it possessed. Jesus affirms indirectly that the Law is imperfect, unfinished; He will perfect and finish it. In popular messianism the Messiah had a relation to the Law, but it was not a relation of binging the Law to completeness. Jesus affirms the enduring, even eternal reality of the Law that we find affirmed in rabbinical writings; but it is the finished and perfect Law that endures, not the Law of Moses with its explanatory oral teachings.
18 Amen, I say to you,
“Amen” is a solemn oath that the truth is being told.
until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter
The Hebrew consonant yodh, the smallest of the 22 consonants in the square Hebrew script
(a jot).
or the smallest part of a letter
Literally, “little horn”. Probably the small decorative mark added to many Hebrew consonants in the square script (a tittle).
will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.
The Law will not pass until it has been finished and perfected by the messianic work of Jesus.
19 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.
Jesus accepts the rabbinical distinction between “heavy” and “light” commandments; the rabbis counted 613 distinct precepts in the Pentateuch and classified them along with their seriousness. The non-observance by Jesus of the traditional Sabbath ordinances and of the laws of Levitical cleanliness was a frequent source of controversy. Jesus is not recommending here that which He repudiated in teaching and practice. Jesus’ statement here is addressed to those who teach strict observance but do not practice it (see Matthew 15:3-6; 23:16-26). The Law that the disciples are to do and teach is the perfect and complete law as fulfilled by Christ. Observance of the Law and traditions will secure the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees; it is a submission to the will of God that goes beyond the observance of the Law.
20 I tell you,
In each of the six examples in scripture (four of which we hear today), the statement of the Law is directly opposed by the pronouncement of Jesus.
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.’
The commandment is quoted according to Exodus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 5:18. The added statement concerning the judgment is not a quotation from the Old Testament, but judicial processes for murder are mentioned (see Exodus 21:22; Numbers 35:16-33). Jesus does not distinguish between willful murder and casual homicide, for accidental homicide does not fall under moral consideration.
22 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.
What Jesus prohibits is not murder but anger; and the mere feeling of anger is liable to the court’s judgment. Anger is not the object of legal action. Jesus rather means that anger, the passion that impels to murder, is as guilty an action as murder itself. Jesus strengthens the prohibition of murder by going to the very roots of mutual dislike.
23 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Should men yield to anger, which is conceived as unavoidable, the sacred duty of reconciliation arises and that duty is urgent. Worship was to a Jew the most sacred action in which a man could engage, but worship must be postponed for reconciliation. It is irrelevant to the duty of reconciliation who started the quarrel.
25 Settle 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. 26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
Matthew here has taken the case out of the courtroom and has given it an eschatological overtone which adds to the severity of the commandment.
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
The commandment is quoted according to Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17. Jesus does not attend to the penalties prescribed in the Law for adultery, which was normally a capital crime (Deuteronomy 22:22). Neither does He mention illicit sexual relations that are not adulterous, although these are treated in the Law.
28 But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
As in the discussion of murder, the supreme offense is taken as the point beyond which Jesus advances. The statement is brief – the gaze of lustful desire is as guilty as the adulterous action. The restatement of the Law is directed again at the root of the impulse.
29 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. 30 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.
This obviously is not meant to be taken literally – the logic of one’s decisions and moral choices is important. It is better to sacrifice a part of one’s moral freedom than to lose the whole.
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.’
The statement of the Law is a very loose paraphrase and compendium of Deuteronomy 24:1, omitting the phrases that deal with the occasion of divorce. The law of Deuteronomy actually deals only indirectly with divorce: its object is the prohibition of the reunion of partners after divorce.
32 But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
In Mark and Luke, the clarity is undisputed – Jesus simply forbids divorce entirely. Mark’s formula reflects Roman law which allowed the wife to institute divorce; Matthew and Luke allude to the Jewish practice, in which only the husband could divorce.
(unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
This exception clause (“lewd conduct is a separate case” in some translations) is universally regarded as an expansion of the original form. Many interpreters and the Greek church understand it as permission of divorce for adultery – but this is so plainly out of harmony with Mark and Luke that it seems improbable. One commentator has suggested that the Hebrew word zenūt would be translated into Greek as porneia and would thus designate an unlawful union of concubinage. Then the sentence would literally read “Every one who sends away his woman (except in the case of concubinage) makes her commit adultery.” This seems to me to be a most satisfactory explanation of the passage, and it explains the exception clause from a Jewish background.
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.’
The statement of the Law is not a direct quotation, but a paraphrase of such passages as Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:3; Deuteronomy 23:22.
34 But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
In particular, Jesus forbids the type of evasion that substitutes for the Divine Name something less sacred. If a sacred object is mentioned in an oath, it is as if the divine name is being used.
36 Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.
The necessity of an oath is a reflection of the evil condition of man, exhibiting both his tendency to lie, against which the oath is thought to protect, and his distrust of his fellow man. It is better to be known as an honest person who never lies so that no oath is ever needed.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, MATTHEW 5:17-37 or 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37
(Sirach 15:15-20; Psalm 119; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10)
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, MATTHEW 5:17-37 or 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37
(Sirach 15:15-20; Psalm 119; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10)
KEY VERSE: "Go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (v.24b).
TO KNOW: 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 who had ill-will toward another must first go and be reconciled with that person before coming to the altar to worship God. Without a willingness to have one's heart changed, salvation could not be experienced.
TO LOVE: Where have I failed in charity, faithfulness and truthfulness in keeping God's law?
TO SERVE: 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.
Sunday 16 February 2020
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ecclesiasticus 15:16-21. Psalm 118(119): 1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34. 1 Corinthians 2:6-10. Matthew 5:17-37.
Happy are they who follow the law of the Lord! – Psalm 118(119): 1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34
‘Not abolish law but fulfil – go further than law into heart.’
Ecclesiasticus 15:16-21. Psalm 118(119): 1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34. 1 Corinthians 2:6-10. Matthew 5:17-37.
Happy are they who follow the law of the Lord! – Psalm 118(119): 1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34
‘Not abolish law but fulfil – go further than law into heart.’
‘Jesus, to me as an Australian your words about not a jot
disappearing from the law sound pretty hard line. Like a prison commander
tightening up discipline, so not just bad actions but bad thoughts are
punishable. What were you up to?’
‘Well, Roberta, the people I was talking to weren’t bolshie like
you Aussies. They prided themselves on never breaking any law. The problem was
they forgot that the law was given to help us have warm, generous,
compassionate, loving and faithful relationships with the Father and one
another. They then became hard and mean, using the law to rip people off. Good
relationships begin in good thoughts and feelings. That is what I meant by the
law being accomplished. What are your relationships like, Roberta?’
‘Thanks, Jesus, I’ll have to think about that’.
Saint Gilbert of Sempringham
Saint of the Day for February 16
(c. 1083 – February 4, 1189)
 |
| Sculpture of Saint Gilbert of Sempringham at Essen, Belgium | photo by Bocachete |
Saint Gilbert of Sempringham’s Story
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.
Reflection
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 Divina
Sunday, February 16, 2020
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, Your servant is listening." Speak to us
now, Lord! We want to make room for your Word, to allow the words of the Gospel
to permeate our lives so that You become the light the strength of our
way. Enliven and transform our attitudes. We all want to mature in the way of listening
to Your words so that our hearts may be transformed.
In us, there is a desire to read and to understand. We are
depending on Your bounty and generosity to be guided in our comprehension of
Your Word.
Let Your word to our hearts not find any obstacles or
resistance, so that Your word of life does not flow in vain or in the dried
desert of our lives. Enter into our empty hearts with the power of Your Word.
Come 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 increases the spiritual aspect of the Word.
2. MEDITATIO
a) Key to the reading
Mt 5-7: The context in the “Sermon on the Mount”
Jesus addressed the crowds who were 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 other, 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
interpreting 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 "fulfill the law": "Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets: I came not to abolish but to 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 "fulfill the law": "Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets: I came not to abolish but to 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 does “to abolish”, “to fulfill” the instructions of the Law and the
Prophets mean? 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 (Hos 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 refers to the actions of Jesus: does the Law
itself change or not? In this case to fulfill the Law could mean that Jesus,
with His 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 death 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 obedient 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 the
conformity of practice with the instruction of Jesus is important: He is
master in obedience and the practice. However the praxis as it infers from the
warning to watch itself from the pseudo prophets in 7:20 is priority: “From
their fruits you will recognize them”. It is interesting to note that Mathew
uses this verb to complete, to fulfill, only for Jesus: only He completes the
Law, only His person introduces the characteristics of the fullness. Here is
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 Judaism; in Jesus a new specificity of justice is
introduced: “I say to you in fact: if your justice will not exceed that 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 laity of that time,
excessively taken from the practice of mercy (6:1-18). Justice practiced from
these two groups is not sufficient, cannot serve as a model: it prevents one
from entering into 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 refer
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 than that one practiced in Judaism. In what
consists this “more” our text doesn’t define 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 emphasizing some commandments of the Law; it is
rather primary that the commandment of love is at the center of these single
commandments. The “most quantitative one” guides us to strengthen the
qualitative aspect before 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, in line 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 the will of God is offered to us (U. Luz).
Mt 5:23-25: How to relate between siblings?
Among the radical requirements in inviting us 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 (Ex 20:13; Deut 5:17). A deepening
or a completely new horizon in the spirit of the Decalogue comes forward now.
If it is not permitted to kill a person physically it wants to say that it is
allowed to make it in other ways: hatred, offense, gossip, depreciation, anger,
insult. In the completely new perspective of the Sermon on the Mount, every
lack of love towards the next one involves the same guilt as homicide. In fact
temper, anger, insult are tempered by an undivided heart of love. For Jesus one
does not break the single Law only by killing, but also with all those actions
that try to destroy or make the other useless.
Jesus doesn’t deal with 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 relationship with God. He needs, then, to reconcile
first 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 first”… 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 has the purpose of the resetting of the wound; a
movement that stretches to reconciliation.
b) Some questions
To put the meditation and practice
1. In your life, are 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 you know that justice lives in the human
relations given to us? A confirmation you may find in 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. Is the expression of Jesus “but
I say to you” for us an imperative or a theoretical commandment? Are we
aware that the more and more great justice is nothing else than the continuous
availability to be confronted with the existence of Christ, the only just
(fair) One?
4. Our justice is supposed to
imitate something of the justice of God, of His gratuity, His creativity? God
renders us just, free from the paralysis of sin; once rendered free, we
mutually transmit this liberation, practicing a justice that does not
judge, but always leaves open. Indeed it creates for the other a possible
return to an authentic life.
3. ORATIO
a) Psalm 119 (1-5, 17-18, 33-34)
The Psalm invites to us to obey the law of God with personal
effort. Such possibility is not only an external obligation but a gift granted
to the one that puts his confidence in God. The practice of the new justice in
order to enter the Kingdom of heaven cannot only come from an individual
commitment, but from a familiar and constant dialogue with the Word of God.
Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk by the teaching
of the LORD.
Happy are 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.
Happy are 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 to and meditated on has seemed
quite strong to us, my Lord, and has put our attitude in crisis: “Go
reconcile yourself!”. In the first place, before being in front of the altar,
before introducing our things and donating them to You with love, before that,
we must reconcile with our brother. Help our heart to complete that movement that
resolves conflict, heals the wound, therefore restores lost harmony.
4. CONTEMPATIO
Saint John Chrysostom invites us with 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 judgment” (Speeches 2,6). Let yourself be
transformed by God’s love, in order to change your life, to be converted,
to find the way of life again.
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