Jesus’ interpretation of the law and what that means for us

Matthew 5: 17–37

“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 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.

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 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.

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.”

Music Meditations

Be Thou My Vision
Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life
Seek Ye First
We Are Called

Opening Prayer

Lord, we have been made by you and for you. Give us openness to your words, honesty in facing our failures and hope in your understanding and forgiveness.

Companions for the Journey

From “First Impressions” 2023, a service of the Southern Dominican Province:

Those of us gathered for worship in our churches are very diverse people, from different cultural backgrounds, countries of origins, races, etc. But what binds us together is our baptism in Jesus. Whatever our differences and in whatever language we speak, we all say together, “We believe in Jesus Christ and so his way is our way.” Our basic identity is that we are a community of Jesus’ followers and we love him. Therefore, our love for him urges us to live like him.

But doesn’t hearing the Sermon on the Mount these Sundays leave you weak in the knees? How can we ever live these teachings? How will we even know how to live them? Because of his miracles and teachings Jesus had attracted great crowds. In order to teach those closest to him. He took them up a mountain. Two Sundays ago we heard the Beatitudes, the introduction to a collection of his teachings which we call the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes called for profound inner change necessary for anyone wanting to follow Jesus. That kind of change is spelled out in his subsequent teachings. When we hear Jesus’ sermon, what Paul says in 1 Corinthians today is true: we are called to live, not according to the wisdom of this age, but according to God’s wisdom. That wisdom, Paul reminds us, has been revealed to us in the life of Jesus made known to us, “through the Spirit.” Through the gift of the Spirit we have come to accept Jesus Christ as God’s full revelation in the flesh. We need to remind ourselves today that the same Spirit makes it possible for us to live according to Jesus’ teaching. After all, Jesus isn’t just giving us a stricter, higher code of ethics. That’s not what makes his teachings special. Rather, through our baptism and the gift of his Spirit, we have the desire and divine power to live what we are being taught again today. That new Spirit in us is what enables us to live, as Jesus tells us, with a “holiness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees.

In this gospel passage, we can hear that Jesus is calling us, not to a superficial, exterior performance of commandments, but to a far more profound response—a deeper, interior change that will enable us to do as he instructs. How discouraged his followers must have been when Jesus taught in this way! After all, the Pharisees were considered the righteous and holy ones. Jesus’ challenge though was not only to his followers, but to the Pharisees and scribes as well. Their religion was to go deeper than exterior works—the right motives had to support right behavior. His demands are high indeed! They seem impossible to achieve.

The Pharisee spent a lot of time and energy fulfilling the Law. They were of the middle class and unlike the desperately poor, who comprised most of Jesus’s followers, the Pharisees had the education and leisure to pursue purity of observance. What chance did the illiterate, overworked and burdened poor followers of Jesus have? For that matter, what chance do we have in fulfilling these teachings? And yet, Jesus calls for a holiness that surpasses those scribes and Pharisees!

From today’s gospel selection, we hear that Jesus wants to cut short, at its inception, a path that might lead to murder. So, he says to his disciples they are to control their anger. In cases of adultery, families would seek retaliation on the couple because of the shame brought down on those families, especially on the husband. To prevent adultery and the subsequent blood feud that would erupt, Jesus tells his disciples not even to think such a thing—no lusting after another. In addition, good community relations, especially among believers, would be possible if people behaved honestly with one another; if they could trust each other’s words. So, no lying.

Jesus called his disciples to exemplary behavior. Such ways of being with one another, besides forming loving relationships in the community, would also draw attention to that community and to the teachings of the one they followed—Jesus. Today Jesus is giving concrete examples of what we heard him say to his disciples last week. They are to be “salt of the earth,” “light of the world” and a “city set on a mountain.”

Note the structure for the sayings. Each begins: “You have heard of the commandment….” Then Jesus presents his unique teaching, “But I say to you….” He credits the former teaching and by giving specific examples, calls his disciples to a greater righteousness, a more exacting “law.” A “new law.” We Christians are called to a different way of living, in our relations to each other and then to the world. We seek reconciliation where there is anger and alienation. We tame our desires despite the license of the world around us. We are faithful to one another and so when we make promises, we keep them.

What will help us live the challenges Jesus places before us? Certainly we can’t do it merely by gritting our teeth and putting our nose to the grindstone. Instead, we fix our eyes on Jesus and we turn to each other in mutual love and support. Sound idealistic? Yes it does, but Jesus wouldn’t ask us to fulfill something he wouldn’t help us accomplish.

It is no wonder that our Sirach reading was chosen today. It’s part of the Wisdom tradition in the Hebrew Scriptures. According to that tradition human actions have specific consequences. We are free to conform our lives to God’s ordered ways, or not. In today’s reading, though short, the word “choose(s)” is mentioned three times. This Wisdom reading underlines our freedom and so encourages us to use it to make choices in accord with God’s wisdom. As difficult as these choices may be at times, the believer hears Sirach’s words of encouragement: “trust in God, you too will live.” We are assured that making these choices will be life-giving, for God’s eyes rest on the faithful (“The eyes of God are on those who fear God....”)

Jesus’ life showed us what the Sermon looks like when enfleshed. He is now our wise teacher who shows us the way to life and gives us his Spirit to help us to choose those life-giving ways. He teaches us about the ways that will help us choose life not death. His disciples are to continue putting flesh on the Sermon in their lives. Whatever our circumstances, people who may never read the Sermon on the Mount, should be able to learn its content by examining our lives.

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session…

Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

This teaching of Jesus seems extreme to some. Do you agree? How hard is it to live what Jesus is saying here?
Jesus seems to be rejecting some of the more petty regulations that governed the society and religion he was part of. Are there any “rules” in our Church or society that seem petty to you?
How would you rewrite them?
Some very important rules of the Jewish law, which Jesus said he did not come to abolish, were, in fact, deleted as early as Apostolic times on behalf of gentiles who wanted to become followers. How do we reconcile this?
Do I see echoes of the Jewish law in our Christian rules/laws?
Has this passage ever been used as a “put-down” of Jewish customs, rules, and observances?
Have there been rules you observed in childhood which no longer seem to be followed?
How do you feel about that?
Can someone “keep” the rules and still be unchristian in some way?
Jesus may be talking about interior vs. exterior observance of the law, or He may be talking of the letter of the vs. the spirit of the law. Can you think of some examples of such differences in your own lifetime?
How do the directives mentioned in this section of the gospel strengthen society?
How much of our life is the result of our own choice or circumstances outside ourselves?
How much is the result of our behavior?
How much of our attitude?
Which is harder, a law to love under all circumstances or a law made up of specific rules?
Why are the 10 commandments mostly “do nots”? Why do we write prohibitive laws?
What of the 10 commandments are easy? Hard? Irrelevant to you?
Did Jesus ever break “the law”?
The law is only good insofar as it leads to Christ. Religion is only good insofar as it leads us to God.
Comment.
Define “letter of the law”
Define “spirit of the law”
Did I ever “break a law” or “bend a rule”, either civil or religious, that I felt was a more moral thing to do than obeying a law or rule? Take for example telling the truth. Is there a time when someone or some entity is not entitled to the whole truth? How about telling the truth when it might hurt someone (do I look fat in this dress?)?
How do I define ‘Primacy of Conscience”?
When can this teaching be abused or used to rationalize really bad behavior?
What are some very positive things about this teaching?
What are some “laws” of my own culture, my own family, my workplace? Are they different from Jesus’ “laws”?
Did the Church ever have, or does it now have, some “laws” or customs that, strictly speaking, are not strict moral imperatives, but require Catholics to follow them?
How can we live our lives holistically and with integrity? What are the rules for that?
How and where do we teach goodness, honesty, kindness, fairness, compassion, forgiveness, generosity? How and where do we teach the opposite?
What would I say, in one phrase, is the heart /main law of my religion?
Do I live it?
Perfectly?
How does what I do or what I say as a religious person reflect the message of Jesus?
As a parent, or advisor, if you had to narrow down your choice of “rules” to follow or “sins” to talk about to three that you consider the most important. What would they be?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

Is there are hierarchy of moral laws? Are some laws non-negotiable? Are all laws equally important? Is there a difference between laws made by God and those made by humans? What do you consider the three non-negotiable? Or is every rule of law equally important? If so, what are the consequences of breaking a rule others consider minor? If you were God, what commands would you give to your people? How would your commands differ from what you perceive God has already set in place? Would you have more or fewer? Which of God’s laws are hardest for you for you to obey? And finally, are all laws an either/or proposition, or are they ideals that we strive to attain and often fail? How does this rigidity lead to over scrupulosity or despair? Pick one precept of Jesus that you find particularly difficult to deal with and pray to God for the gift of courage and forgiveness.

Literary Reflection:

Several novels by Graham Green explore the difficulties which arise for a person who feels he has forfeited redemption because he broke some big rules and therefore was unworthy of God’s love and understanding, and is tormented by sin, guilt and fear. Try reading the Power and the Glory, the story of a “Whiskey Priest” set in Mexico during the time when religion was outlawed.

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Discernment:

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.

Discernment means that we form our conscience and use our heart and our brain to sort through the decisions we make each day. It is harder than simply following a set of “rules”. According to Joseph Tetlow S.J., in his commentary on the Ignatian Exercise, “we regularly have to fight out of fearful confusions and conflicts to form a right conscience. We have to wrestle out of self-centeredness and selfishness in order to give our love to each other. We try to feel our way through the prejudices and inequitable dealings we take from our own culture to think clearly and to do justly. We know that living water wells up within ourselves into eternal life; we also know that we are like the apostle Paul, who did what he meant not to do and did not do what he meant to do.” Now, how do we make sense of the tension within our humanness? This is hard. For example, we look at the “rules” and “laws” our culture and religion have imposed—some are in conflict with each other, and some are in conflict with our need to love God and one another? Scrupulosity on one hand seems safer, but can lead to being too judgmental of ourselves and others. On the other hand, rationalization is the “get-out-of-jail-free” technique we employ to excuse our bad behavior to ourselves or others. So our lifelong task is to find a balance, and a way of discerning how we should behave. So we pray for discernment:

for the honesty to examine what our desires are and evaluate them in terms of God’s will for us.
for the wisdom to understand the difference between actions that are culturally promoted or forbidden and those that come from a primal desire to please God.
For the courage to face the resistance to change, to get out of our comfort zone when necessary for our own good and that of others.

Are there any issues in my life that I am conflicted about? Are there any ways of behavior that are not healthy for me or for my relationships with others? How does guilt play out in my decision-making? Do I really examine and understand my motivations?

I pray for honesty, for wisdom, and for courage as I strive to align my life with what I understand to be God’s desires for me.

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Prayer of Consideration

From “Sacred Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits:

Jesus is no destroyer of people’s devotions and faith. He does not abolish the faith practice of a people or a person. All the goodness of our religion and our faith is precious to him. His grace is given to each personally; each of prays differently, or with a variety of times, places and moods. ‘Pray as you can, not as you can’t;’ is one of the oldest and wisest recommendations for prayer. Prayer is entering and relaxing into the mystery of God’s love, each in our own way.

Jesus teaches by word and action, by saying and doing. His example of life is our guide and our encouragement. There is a link between what we say and what we do, and when this link is strong, we are strong in the kingdom of God. We are ‘to walk it as we talk it’. Sincerity and integrity of life is what we are called to. I make an “examen” of my life and actions of the last two days, looking at what I said and did in some detail. I consider how it is that my way of living and my world’s influence on others. I pray in thanksgiving for those places in my life in which I can imagine that I have a good influence. I ask God’s help in the areas for my example and inspiration might be better.

But Jesus lived in such a way that the words of the scriptures came to life. I think of how the scriptures come to life in me by what I do and what I say. I think of all those who have taught me, calling to mind the people who have helped me to understand God’s ways. I give thanks for them and ask for blessing. I pray that I may be such a person for those around me.

Jesus pointed to the continuity in God’s work and action. I think of the traditions and teachings that have brought me to where I am and I ask God to continue to draw me to life.

Jesus saw a continuity of God’s message as he spoke as had the prophets of old. I realize that I too have a history and tradition – some of which is known to me. I thank God for all of those whose insight builds me up.

I ask God to continue to bless me and to lead me into the wisdom that Jesus had. I pray in respect for all who teach the faith that has come to us from the apostles.

Poetic Reflection:

Often humans often lose sight of the laws of the universe, and our obligation to treat the universe with love and care. We need to remember that the laws of the universe speak God’s will. The sun “rises” and “sets”, morning and evening, day after day, year after year. Think of the delicate balance of the ecosystem and reflect on all the ways human hands have disrupted God’s order, have broken god’s laws. We have not been very good stewards of the world we were given. While it is easy to blame the mega-polluters and the corporate giants for our precarious planet, but the truth is, most of us in the developed countries do not want to trade either convenience or money to save the rain forest or endangered species, our oceans and marine life… What sacrifices or changes are you willing to make to help deal with climate change?

Denise Levertov, a late Professor of English at Stanford, and a renowned poet, has this to say:

“Tragic Error”

The earth is the Lord’s, we gabbled,
and the fullness thereof–
while we looted and pillaged, claiming indemnity:
the fullness thereof
given over to us, to our use–
while we preened ourselves, sure of our power,
willful or ignorant, through the centuries.
Miswritten, misread, that charge:
subdue was the false, the misplaced word in the story.
Surely we were to have been
earth’s mind, mirror, reflective source.
Surely our task
was to have been
to love the earth,
to dress and keep it like Eden’s garden.
That would have been our dominion:
to be those cells of earth’s body that could
perceive and imagine, could bring the planet
into the haven it is to be known,
(as the eye blesses the hand, perceiving
it form and the work it can do).

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to discern the rules by which you want me to live. I thank you for all those who have helped me understand your ways. Help me to realize that your scriptures come to life in me by what I do and what I say. I pray for all of us who are sometimes lost and discouraged. May I, personally, be an instrument of your mercy.

Weekly Reflections

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 12, 2023