February 12, 2023
Sixth Sunday Ordinary Time A
Last week, on Sunday morning, we played a game with Families in our Faith Formation program. Melissa Weisenburg, our director, invited all the parents and children to connect to an interactive online game where each family had to decide the correct numbering of the 10 Commandments. You only have ten seconds to decide/choose, from 4 possible numbers, the correct number of each Commandment. For example: “You shall not kill†is the 5th Commandment. It was fun and exciting. At the end, we cheered the families with highest scores. What followed the game was a lesson on the 10 Commandments.
Jesus is not playing a game, but he is engaged in an interactive discussion with the pharisees and scribes on the importance of and meaning of the 10 Commandments. Pharisees, a lay group, and scribes, scholars of the Law, are intent on a strict interpretation of the Law and the importance of public observance of the Law. Jesus is trying to challenge them to dig deeper and to examine the underlining motivations that cause a person to disobey or to break the Law. Jesus is interested not only in overt actions which the law either permits or prohibits, but he also wants to probe the intentions of the heart.
Jesus begins by saying, “You have heard that it was said by 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.’†Jesus is challenging those who define the commandment narrowly to murder are not addressing the underlining cause of the violence. Jesus demands a deeper sense of ethical responsibility whereby a person does not simply refrain from an evil action but must identify and correct the root causes for the evil action in the first place.
Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’ but I say to you, ‘everyone one who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’†Again, we see Jesus is concerned with the act of infidelity but also with infidelity in the heart. Using more contemporary language, Jesus is concerned about treating women or men as objects of our desire rather than respecting the other person with dignity and respect. We can imagine what Jesus would say about pornography.
Jesus says, “Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’ But I say to you do not swear at all … Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’†This appears to be a combination of two Commandments # 2 and # 8: “You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain†and “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.†Jesus is affirming that one should tell the truth, to make good to the Lord all you vow. He may well be concerned about folks who use the name of God making frivolous or devious promises. Jesus is stressing the positive. Be honest in all your interactions and exchanges. Be true to your word.
When we look at the 10 Commandments, which are the essence and foundation of all law, we can see that their meaning can be summed up as reverence for God, respect for our neighbor and respect for ourselves. For Jews, the Law or Torah, is not a burden, when understood as a gift from God who has entered a special covenant of love with them. The Torah, understood correctly, is a guide to put God’s will into action. Jesus is challenging his listeners long ago and today, to know and to obey both the letter and intention of the Law and to discern the disposition of the human heart. For Christians, Jesus is the key to unlocking the meaning of the Law, the Prophets and Wisdom of Israel. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light.
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5th Sunday Ordinary Time A
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2nd Sunday of Lent
