My Sisters and Brothers:
Today, we continue our reflection on Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (see Matthew 5:17-37). As we contemplate the passage before us today, I believe we should recall Jesus often challenged his listeners to put aside their “old ways of thinking and of doing things.” Let’s remember his radical message of change and renewal had enabled his followers to escape the tyranny of obsolete and legalistic “religious rituals and practices.” It had empowered them to accept the fullness of the “Good News” and to be “born-again” to the new way of life he had come to offer them. And I believe this new way of life had much to do with the way they were called to demonstrate their genuine love and concern for others. But unfortunately, the Scribes and the Pharisees, religious leaders who should have been most receptive to his message, were those who were most often opposed to what he taught. In fact, the message of Jesus threatened their prestige and power, and was the principal reason they constantly sought to condemn him. This is what eventually led them to put Jesus to death on the cross. Certainly, this never-ending conflict between the radical and new message of Jesus and the “old ways” of those religious leaders is what set the stage for today’s lesson from the “Sermon on the Mount.”
Today, we continue our reflection on Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (see Matthew 5:17-37). As we contemplate the passage before us today, I believe we should recall Jesus often challenged his listeners to put aside their “old ways of thinking and of doing things.” Let’s remember his radical message of change and renewal had enabled his followers to escape the tyranny of obsolete and legalistic “religious rituals and practices.” It had empowered them to accept the fullness of the “Good News” and to be “born-again” to the new way of life he had come to offer them. And I believe this new way of life had much to do with the way they were called to demonstrate their genuine love and concern for others. But unfortunately, the Scribes and the Pharisees, religious leaders who should have been most receptive to his message, were those who were most often opposed to what he taught. In fact, the message of Jesus threatened their prestige and power, and was the principal reason they constantly sought to condemn him. This is what eventually led them to put Jesus to death on the cross. Certainly, this never-ending conflict between the radical and new message of Jesus and the “old ways” of those religious leaders is what set the stage for today’s lesson from the “Sermon on the Mount.”
Jesus said: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (see verse twenty). In order to illustrate such “righteousness,” Jesus cited specific Old Testament teachings having to do with the prohibitions against killing others, against committing adultery, and against the taking of false oaths. I believe these were merely examples from among many others he might have used. But these three things clearly illustrated the essence of all of Jesus’ teachings. Simply put, the thoughts, the words, and the actions of the “the righteous” would always show respect and affirm the true worth and dignity of other people. And so, for example, they would avoid even the slightest forms of anger, they would refrain from the merest of disrespectful and/or lustful thoughts, and they would always and sincerely say “yes” when they meant to say “yes,” and “no” when they meant to say “no.” This is essentially how they would demonstrably show their love and concern for others.
I believe these teachings of Jesus were clearly an indictment of those Scribes and Pharisees. It was precisely because of their obstinacy they were unable to adapt “new ways of thinking and of doing things.” Instead, they were hopelessly stuck in their old ways. And in fact, their anger against Jesus would lead them to kill him; it was their disrespectful treatment of Jesus and his followers, and their own “lust” for power and control that predisposed them to treat other human beings like “objects”; it was their inability to attest to the truth, even under the pretexts of oaths, that made them completely untrustworthy, and unable to adapt to the “Good News” and new way of Jesus. Jesus warned his followers not to be like them in any way!
Even in our own time I believe our faith sometimes challenges us to put aside “old ways of thinking and of doing things.” As we continue to reflect on the teaching of Jesus in the “Sermon on the Mount,” let’s ask ourselves if we too might be tempted to be like those unregenerate Scribes and Pharisees of old. Are we resistant to Jesus’ radical message of change and renewal when these things are necessary in our own lives? As we live our lives today with all of its modern complexities (and with respect for our traditions), do we truly accept every aspect of the “Good News” of Jesus, and are we willing to be “born-again” to the new ways of thinking and living he might offer to us? As such, are we always willing to show love and respect for others, and to affirm their true worth and dignity? My friends, may all of our thoughts, our words and our actions, truly reflect our love and concern for others, and may these things attest to genuine faith residing in our hearts!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
Praise God! Friar Timothy
1 comment:
Friar Timothy, this is a good contemplation for preparing for Lent.
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