HOMILY FOR THE 6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A. (3)

HOMILY FOR THE 6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.

THEME: True Religion and True Religious Observances.

BY: Father Anthony O. Ezeaputa, MA.

In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 5:17–37), Jesus continues his “Sermon on the Mount.” Jesus tells his audience, which includes us, that he has not come to abolish the law or the prophets but to fill them (Matthew 5:17), and if they want to enter the kingdom of God, they must do better than the scribes and the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20).

Jesus focuses not so much on our actions as on our hearts, from which our actions flow. Also, the Scriptures must be read through the lens of love and mercy, which Jesus himself personifies. Hence, he is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.

With the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus wants to show that it is more important to change from the inside than to be strict about following the Scriptures, rituals, and traditions on the outside. He says, “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

During the time of Jesus, the scribes and pharisees exemplified those who were faithful to the “TaNaK,” that is, the Torah (law, also known as the Pentateuch), the Nevi’im (prophets), and the Ketuvim (writings), and strictly observed Jewish traditions. According to the standard at the time, they could be said to be among those considered holy and righteous in Israel. Yet Jesus says clearly that if we want to enter the kingdom of God, our holiness and righteousness must surpass theirs.

The scribes and Pharisees were very committed to doing God’s will, especially when it came to the external observance of the “TaNaK” and Jewish traditions. However, they were only hypocrites who acted religiously on the outside to receive praise and admiration from people, or better yet, they were like “whitewashed tombs,” which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean (Matthew 23:27–28).

Indeed, their religious observances didn’t get to their hearts, or else they would have been more compassionate and loving. So, it makes sense when Jesus says, “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). To be truly righteous, you don’t play the game of “eye service.”

The point is that there must be a connection between our external religious observances, such as attending Mass, receiving communion and other sacraments, making the sign of the cross, wearing medals and other sacramentals, even a wedding ring, fasting, and praying, and what happens inside us. And through the examples of murder, reconciliation, divorce, oat-taking, and lust, Jesus continues to demonstrate the link between our actions and what happens in our hearts.

For example, the letter of the law states, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.” However, Jesus says that anyone who is even angry with his brother or sister, let alone murders them, will be judged.

Murder is the most heinous form of violence, but Jesus goes beyond the type of action expressly prohibited by the law and condemns the type of heart that leads to such heinous action, namely, a violent heart.

Violence starts in the heart with feelings like anger, rage, hidden resentments, hurt, unforgiveness, and fears. Over time, they poison the mind and come out in murder, divorce, and other acts of violence. But the best way to stop violent actions is to forgive and quickly make up with a brother or sister who has hurt you.

Jesus says that the obligation to forgive and make up with a brother or sister is so important that it is worth waiting to offer a gift to God in the temple. “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23). In other words, reconciliation and forgiveness must come before worshiping God or making a sacrifice. This is true even for participating in religious ceremonies.

Furthermore, the letter of the law states, “You shall not commit adultery,” emphasizing the action over the cause of the action. However, Jesus focuses on the heart, which is where adultery begins. Hence, anyone who looks at someone with lust has already committed adultery or fornication with them in their hearts.

Lust manifests as adultery, fornication, masturbation, rape, and other inappropriate sexual behaviors. Obviously, inappropriate sexual behaviors are the fruits of a mind that is obsessed with pornography. The result is that people are turned into objects for pleasure. True love, on the other hand, never takes advantage of the other.

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus wants us to learn from the scribes and pharisees that true religion is more than just following rules and rituals for show; it is a way to connect with God and neighbor. True religion and true religious practices come from having a personal relationship with God and taking his teachings to heart.

Additionally, Jesus is inviting us to look inside ourselves, to “X-ray” ourselves through some meditative prayer or examination of conscience, so that we can find the unhealthy tendencies that make us make bad decisions and choices and root them out so that we can make better and more life-giving decisions.

So, let us pray today that we do not become slaves to our religion and religious practices. Instead, may they serve as a template for us to become who God wants us to be. Let us pray to be more aware of what enters our hearts. May Saint Joseph, the Most Chaste, intercede for us. Happy Sunday!

Homily for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
February 12, 2023

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