Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Intro: Today's Gospel sees Jesus speaking about the deeper and real meaning of the Commandments
Readings: Ecclesiasticus tells us that we have to make a basic choice between life and death.
For Paul, writing to the Corinthians, God's wisdom is not like the wisdom of this world which led to His Son's crucifixion. If we follow God's wisdom it will lead us to glorify Him.
Ecelesiasticus 15: 12-20;
1 Corinthians 2: 6-10;
Matthew 5: 17-37;
In his Gospel, Matthew tries to portray Jesus as a new and greater Moses. It was on Mount Sinai that Moses had delivered the law of God; it's now on another mountainside that Jesus delivers His new Law in His Sermon on the Mount.
When He begins, "You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors ..." His audience realises at once that He's referring to Moses and the Law which he had received from God. And when He adds, "But I say this to you ..." they realise - perhaps with some anxiety - that He's claiming to be even greater than Moses, putting Himself on a par with God, speaking with God's authority. He claims that He's not come to abolish the Law, but to adjust and complete it, and He does that by giving concrete examples.
According to the old Law, murder was wrong. Now, He says, so is anger, which can flare into violence and deprive a person of some of the essentials of life forgiveness and understanding. So it's wrong to come to worship with anger or hatred in your heart. Likewise, adultery is wrong because it treats another as an object to be discarded when we've finished with it, so looking at another lustfully
violates the Law; Again, lying under oath is wrong but there should be no need for an oath - a simple trusting statement should be all that needs to be said; our words should be our bond.
Jesus tells us that in the end, the whole Law and the prophets hang on the double commandment of loving God and our neighbour. To think that we only have to
tick the boxes of God's Commandments - avoid killing, adultery, lying and come to Mass on Sundays - is to treat our faith in a superficial way.
Outward observance isn't going to cut the mustard! Such a faith is shallow, and cannot save. Jesus wants to put the message across that we gain Heaven by our willingness to forgive, to reconcile, by our commitment to justice in our dealings with others, respecting the dignity of everyone we meet, by living lives of integrity where we express outwardly through our acts of forgiveness, compassion and honesty, the faith which we hold. Peace of heart and mind are tremendous gifts of grace, but they still exist in our troubled world. But - "Be brave" says the Lord, "for I have overcome the world!"
Intercessions
At the heart of the Commandments is love of our neighbour. And so we pray today, not only for ourselves, but also for our brothers and sisters throughout the world, with all their needs:-
1. For the Church throughout the world. May It show her real, practical faith by the way It treats those around Her with true compassion and forgiveness - Lord, hear us.
2. For all those who struggle to keep Your Commandments. Never let them lose their trust in You, no matter how great their weakness - Lord, hear us.
3. For those who suffer under unjust laws of governments, and for the victims of crime. Renew their courage and hope in Your promise of care - Lord, hear us.
4. For those who have been divorced, or who have known the pain of betrayal or desertion. In their pain and sadness, may they experience Your healing love and find continued welcome and support in the Church rather than rejection - Lord, hear us.
5. For teachers in our schools and colleges. Help them to guide and inspire the young people in their care - Lord, hear us.
6. Let us pray for those who have come to the end of their life here on this earth. May they now enjoy the peace of Your Kingdom forever - Lord, hear us.
God our Father, hear our prayers today, and help us to live and keep Your Commandments as we should.