JESUS 

I’M TRYING TO GET 

WHAT YOU’RE SAYING HERE 

[With the Archbishop’s talk about the Annual Appeal on audio tape, I didn’t have to preach this 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A.  However, I still wanted to ponder today’s readings - especially today’s gospel from Matthew 5:17-37. It’s part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. So here’s a quick - first draft - poetic type reflection - on today’s gospel. I suggest you read Jesus words in today's part of the Sermon on the Mount  as they appear in English in Matthew. Better provide a warning:  "If you read what follows,  you’ll see that I’m still not sure of what Jesus is getting at."]

Jesus, today you begin by saying, "Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets." 

Okay, laws are important - even the tiny ones. Hey, I don’t want hair in my dessert or an eye lash in my soup. I get that.

But what I don’t get is your wanting me to be righteous - even more righteous than the scribes and the Pharisees. I thought you went after those boys for not getting a better vision of the kingdom of heaven - in the here and now. They were straining to see too many gnats and missing the camels. They were seeing life with blurred vision - a polite way of saying: “Don’t you get it? You’re being blind boys! You're being blind guides.”

Jesus I noticed in the English translation we use that you talk about laws and you talk about commandments. Are you or Matthew trying to make a distinction here?  By laws do you mean the laws about washing the outside of cups and dishes,  kettles and pots - while not looking within the vessel? "Hello scribes and Pharisees! Check within.” [Cf. Matthew 23]  By commandments do you mean the big stuff - like not  killing - like honoring your father and your mother?  I’m not sure if you’re making  that distinction here?

I think I get your insight into anger and name calling - when it comes to how we deal with one another. I get that.  We might not be killing each other - but we are killing each other when we get fired up and we ignite within our hearts and our homes a hell of a situation - with these things we hold against each other. We come to church - we appear before the altar - but we come with a burning garbage dump within - like Gehenna - which was the name of the city dump in Jerusalem - where everyone dumped and burned their junk. I hear you  saying loud and clear: take care of first things first - otherwise you'll be living with a divided heart.

So I get that one. If we don’t reach for reconciliation out there with our sisters and brothers  - we’re not going to have it when we’re in worship in here before your altar - with our sisters and brothers. So we better settle differences with each other - because the differences now are pennies compared to the dollar cost to come.

I also think I get your adultery and lust stuff. It sounds to me like the same as your anger and yelling at each other message. Go within! 

Next, I get your metaphors about plucking out one’s eyes or cutting off one’s hands. However, Jesus, this doesn’t sound  like you're being meek and gentle of heart. I just hope people don’t take you literally - like one of your disciples whacking off the ear of the servant of the high priest when you got arrested. [Matthew 26:51] Ouch! Obviously, people with sexual addictions better make some drastic cuts - if they don’t want to be consumed with porn or multiple toxic relationships problems.

And marriages need a lot of work - a lot of self-dying - a lot of communication - a lot of give and take - if they are going to work. I get that you want couples to experience the marriage banquet that a good marriage can be.  

And obviously deadly divorces can be just that: deadly for two people as well as kids. And yes some marriages are mistakes - I still don’t know how to put your words “unless the marriage is unlawful” - as our English text puts it - into a scenario that fits so many complex scenarios - all those various ones married couples can get themselves knotted up in.

And lastly, I get a bit of what your words about swearing mean.  I hear that modern Americans don’t know how to swear like you heard people in your day swear. They pointed to the sky - or down to earth at the ground - or towards Jerusalem. They seemed to swear on anything and everything to prove they were telling the truth and nothing but the truth. 

Wait, come to think about it,  we’ve all heard people tell us they are swearing on their mother’s grave or a stack of Bibles. So I guess you are screaming for simplicity. Instead of a lot of swearing, simply give each other a clear “Yes!” when we mean “Yes” and a definitive, “No!” when we mean "No!"

That’s all for now Jesus. 

However, I’m still trying to get to what you’re saying here. Speak Lord, I’m trying to listen. Amen.

OOOOOOOOOO

Painting on Top: Sermon on the Mount by Fra Angelico