Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Feb.

13, 2011
(Sirach 15:15-20; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37)

The Sirach reading reflects an attitude found frequently throughout the Old
Testament. “If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if
you trust in God, you too shall live….” One thinks immediately of Deuteronomy’s
“I set before you…a blessing and a curse: a blessing for obeying the
commandments of the Lord…a curse if you do not (Dt.11:26-28).” How can one
not choose to observe the commandments? How can one not trust God? Yet in
today’s world there are plenty who have no trust of God or, if the truth be told, of
anyone else.
The other contrasts between fire and water, and life and death, good and evil,
and wisdom and fear of the Lord are all in some way parallel to choosing the
commandments and trusting in God. All these choices amount to choosing what
saves or what fails.
This leads us to consider Matthew, who here underscores the real role of Jesus
who comes “not to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill them.” Matthew,
more than any of the Gospel writers, is interested in seeing to it that aspects of
Judaism find completion or fulfillment in Jesus, so he states this early on in the
Gospel.
Matthew is intent on showing that all Old Testament scriptures reach a climax
in the life and ministry of Jesus. Thus not even the slightest curl on the smallest
letter will pass away until heaven and earth have passed away.
The letter would have been the Hebrew letter yodh ‫יּ‬. If the reader looks
closely, ignoring the dot inside the letter, the letter has a swirl on either end and it is
that to which Matthew’s Jesus refers. So, in Matthew’s church, the commandments
remained. And Matthew insisted that the Christian had to outdo the scribes and
Pharisees in righteousness or not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Then Jesus shows what he means by surpassing the righteousness of the
scribes and Pharisees. He radicalizes observance of some commandments, by
expanding their meaning to include things such as anger and name-calling in the
commandment not to kill. Added to the adultery commandment are lustful looks, a
very difficult commandment in modern societies, which are geared to sell products
by use of sex appeal. It is almost impossible to avoid in some medium or other. So
we have to exercise extra caution in our time.
 When Jesus says to pluck out eyes or cut off hands he does not mean that we
should run around maiming ourselves. He simply means in strong terms that we
ought not sin in that way. He is equally strong on the issue of divorce. But when it
comes to staying in a marriage and being subject to an abusive spouse, or divorcing,
which is often the real life situation people face today, the advice to get out of that
marriage is solid. Not only would Jesus condemn the abuser but he would also
defend the spouse who was forced into the divorce. It needs to be understood that
New Testament absolutes are as limited as the language used to express them.
In his commentary about oaths Jesus says “do not swear at all.” It is positively
amazing how many are simply unwilling to accept this teaching and insist that
members in good standing in the Church swear all kinds of things. To return to
Jesus, he says “let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more
is from the evil one.” It really makes one wonder what is so hard about
understanding that. Calling on God to witness to what passes for truth among
humans is vain. Just say yes or no and mean it.

Fr. Lawrence L. Hummer