Our Father in heaven

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

"In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward."

- Matthew 6:1-16

We have been reading the passages from the Sermon on the Mount, in the Gospel of Matthew, since Monday. Beginning with the Beatitudes, Matthew's Gospel, chapter 5, has led us through the important topics of Jesus' teaching: the blessings of the spiritual life, or the Beatitudes; the teachings that His disciples are to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world; His expansion on righteousness regarding first the law against murder; His teachings on our own internal work regarding our thoughts and passions; and His teachings on justice and just behavior. Today, we venture into territory regarding prayer, charitable acts, and fasting - religious practice or spiritual discipline and good works.

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." In each of Jesus' important teachings today on spiritual discipline - regarding charitable works, prayer, and fasting - His greatest criticism comes to hypocrisy, or hypocrites. "Hypocrite" in the original Greek means "actor." What He is condemning is prayer or charity - any form of piety - for outward show. If all we care about is the opinion of others, then we are missing the point. It is our relationship to God that is essential here, and God's love teaches us how we must relate to others. It is the Father who sees in secret whose understanding of who we are counts. It is again the expression here of a divine economy, in which the blessings we give in secret will be returned to us through the Father.

"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." Again, a teaching against hypocrisy -- those who make a great show of their piety, who work for an audience, and not the power of the relationship that is in secret, with our "Father who is in the secret place." And again, there is emphasis on a divine economy: our "Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." My study bible says the teaching here is not against repetition per se, but against "vain repetition." The importance is that we do not babble, do not make prayers for their sound or impression, but that we cultivate a relationship - a personal and private relationship to Our Father in heaven. The teaching that God knows what we want in advance is so important: we're not really informing God about anything, nor are we making demands. We are cultivating relationship, "exchanging wishes" as the Greek word for prayer literally means. We are going to our Father with all we are, opening up ourselves for teaching and instruction, for love, and sharing all that we are as He shares Himself via grace with us.

"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." First, we address God, our Father who is in heaven. His name is for all that is holy, and covers all that comes to us in goodness and righteousness and mercy and grace. Our great desire is to expand that kingdom, that holiness - to manifest that kingdom amongst ourselves and within ourselves, in our world. This begins our prayer, that heaven and earth, and all that Our Father is and desires be made present to us in our world as well. We begin our prayer by setting ourselves in the right place, offering the right perspective.

"Give us this day our daily bread." The bread referred to in this prayer is not necessarily the bread we eat for food, nor a symbol of material needs. "Daily" is a rather misleading translation for a Greek word that appears nowhere else in literature, and seems to have been coined specifically for this prayer. The word in Greek means more closely "super-substantial;" that is, something that has a greater reality to it - literally, "above the essence." What this implies is not only what we need for each day in terms of our material sustenance, but that which we need which includes all that we are, our spiritual reality, what feeds our souls. In other words, this word is like the Eucharist itself - the bread of God's food for us. In a very true poetic sense, we pray to receive each day the food we need for our eternal and immortal life, for "the eternal day of the Kingdom of God," as my study bible puts it so aptly. We pray for the Bread of Life, which we need daily.

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." I've heard it expressed recently that God's forgiveness for us is infinite - therefore we share in that forgiveness when we realize the capacity we have to forgive others. Moreover there is once again a teaching about the divine economy here: what we are willing to share with others will also be shared with us by God. My study bible notes that "by using the plural, Jesus directs each of us to pray for the Father's forgiveness of all, and for all of us to forgive one another." It adds that "debts refer to spiritual debts; when we sin, we 'owe' restitution to our offended neighbor and to God." We are to seek to practice the loving nature that we know belongs to God.

"And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." This is a kind of poetic statement in itself: in the Greek, we pray that temptation not be "led into" us, and we ask to be taken or brought into God's presence, "snatched away" from the "evil one." This is about the essence of what is called spiritual battle - the prayer that all the temptations we wish to resist not be a part of ourselves, and that God's strength be with us always. More powerfully, that we be in the presence of God, delivered from the "evil one." ("Evil one" is a more precise translation than "evil.") The word for temptation is also a form of "test" or "trial." My study bible says, "Thus we pray that great temptations, tests beyond what we can bear, should not come our way."

"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." We return, in the economy of the prayer, to the kingdom of God, God's glory and power -- it is here we wish to dwell, to remain, and that which we wish to manifest in "on earth as it is in heaven." It is this power with which we wish to be allied for our true sustenance and support in life.

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Moreover, finally, an important added emphasis and understanding of the real spiritual economy in which we dwell: we must share that which we wish for ourselves. It elevates us - human beings - to a stature worthy of a creation of God, made for independent thought and choice. We offer forgiveness as our Father in heaven offers us forgiveness. But we bear this responsibility; if we live in selfish expectation without our own growth in this love then we realize nothing of it.

"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward." And finally, a teaching on fasting, another religious practice or spiritual discipline. And a repeated emphasis on the condemnation of hypocrisy, or "acting." Life, in the Christian discipline, is not only first and foremost for that relationship with the Father in heaven (rather than for outward show for the opinions or "praise of men") but it is also for joy. That is, it is for the joy of this relationship of love, whether we cultivate that relationship through fasting or other difficult disciplines. Furthermore, Jesus teaches us that we fast from much more than food, but from sin, from dwelling in thoughts which cultivate temptation and keep us from that relationship with our Father who is in the secret place.

A powerful reading is what we receive today, with many thoughts on the spiritual life, on how we pray -- and warnings about practicing as hypocrites, or "actors." Such is Jesus' contempt for hypocrites that He says, "They have their reward." So what does this all mean to you? How do you realize that relationship with your Father who is in the secret place? What do you do to cultivate that relationship and its strength for you? How do we live in this divine economy, of powerful realities that reward us on spiritual terms, for things not necessarily known or seen by others? It is a relationship of love in which we dwell, and cultivate and grow its blessings. Jesus began this Sermon with the Beatitudes, and today He teaches us more fully about the realization of the blessings He has taught.

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth'

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

- Matthew 5:38-48

We continue now through the readings of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, in preparation for Lent. We began with the Beatitudes on Monday. Tuesday we read about Jesus teaching His disciples that they are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. In the next reading, Jesus expanded on the law against murder, and yesterday we read His teaching on the importance of watching our thoughts, and cultivating a life in which we choose carefully what we dwell on and what we cast away from ourselves. Today Jesus continues with teachings on justice, and expanding how we understand what this means.

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." We turn now to the problem of justice, and Jesus seeks to define for us a concept of justice that takes out the idea of retribution - a measured response that is somehow created only by the act of the "other." In some sense, Jesus creates an independent spirit here, in which our choices to respond to others really comes from a relationship to God. This is the whole essence of a righteous life, and one of compassion and discernment. In other words, the equation becomes not one of tit-for-tat, not dependent only on the choices of the other person, but mediated by a relationship to God who is loving and compassionate - and who is the true Judge.

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Jesus once again takes an equation and changes its balance, to include God as a part of that way that we seek to relate to others. He compares our relationship to others with God's relationship to all of us. From the earliest years of the church, when it was under great persecution, St. Paul encouraged Christian believers to pray for civil authorities and those in power. "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. " (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Our lives and actions are to be mediated by God's love in all relationships. This is not a prescription for abuse, and it is in no way a surrender to the "prince of this world" and its injustice. Instead, it is a kind of resistance, but one that must work in a particular way to be most spiritually effective. It is a way to carry on a life dedicated to the love of God and its manifestation in the world. It sets us apart by allowing us the spiritual freedom to choose how we will respond, and to be bound by our own love of God - and therefore seeking that love in how we relate to others. My study bible says, "Love is not merely an emotion. It is a divine grace -- an uncreated divine energy -- which inflames the soul and unites it to God and to other people (see 1 John 4:7-21)."

Forgiveness can be a subject of great difficulty. What do we do with those who care nothing for our feelings, from whom we receive no acknowledgment of our suffering? We recall Jesus' words about God's sun and rain falling on all equally, the good and bad, just and unjust. We need, first of all, patience with God's justice, and a sense in which we take our cares to God, our complaints -- and find the best way to respond. This may mean no response at all, as in turning the other cheek. It may simply mean a peaceful demeanor, as in St. Paul's words of "peaceful and quiet lives." But justice is always included in this equation of mercy and compassion and godliness; it is not left out. To misuse these words for selfish ends, to condemn those who simply do not accept abuse in order to continue such behavior, is to miss the point entirely. We each have the responsibility of our own relationship to God, our own hearts to examine, as Jesus has taught in the previous readings from the Sermon on the Mount, especially yesterday's. Therefore, think of the rain and the sun, and ask in prayer how best to proceed. How does one deal with the injustice inherent in our world and its relationships? Jesus taught us to speak out when necessary, to uphold the values of love and truth, and to look to ourselves for what it is we must cleanse first. We recall the patience of God's love, and the time we are given to learn it better for ourselves. Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. We are given time to continue in that journey, to find our way, and to carry with us the great desire to do it as "our Father who is in the secret place" would ask.

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

- Matthew 5:27-37

The readings from this week have been from the Sermon on the Mount, and today we continue. In yesterday's readings, we read Jesus' expansion on the law against murder. Jesus is taking us deeper into what it is to be truly righteous - He is drawing us in to an understanding of the depths of ourselves, and how we work at righteousness in terms of not only what we do but also what we say and what we think. See You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder'. Jesus has taught in this Sermon that His disciples' righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees - and today He continues with His exposition of what this entails.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." It's important to understand what Jesus means here by "lust." This is not a simple mutual and natural attraction between men and women that He is referring to. Jesus is talking about cultivating a desire with intent. In short, it's about covetousness - a feeding of a personal desire. He takes us from the forbidden action to the thinking that starts behind it, and taking us into the territory of righteousness that "exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees."

"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell." Here is the great teaching on what it means to really watch our thoughts, to structure our "inner selves" so that the outer self is taken care of, and to practice the kind of righteousness He desires from His disciples. He's taking us from action to the inner self, the thoughts we nurture and cultivate within ourselves (as illustrated by the example of "lust" above). He uses the body as a metaphor for our inner lives, our "inner body" if you will. Things that poison our minds with what we don't need must be discarded, "plucked out", "cut off" or "cast away." It's our own thinking that can harm our soul, our spirit.

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery." Jesus repeatedly preaches throughout the Gospels against an easy divorce of the type that was used during His lifetime. This left women in a truly defenseless and powerless position in the society, and denied the power of real relationship in marriage - one made in sacrament to God. The clause "except sexual immorality" teaches us that divorce is not out of the question in cases of abuse of the relationship. The early church would expand the grounds for divorce, but the theological understanding behind the concept of all relationship is that it can either be strengthened or destroyed depending on our choices, especially in a spiritual context. That which is spiritual at its heart - such as the sacrament of marriage - needs spiritual nurturing and can be destroyed by our carelessness, and this is what Jesus is teaching here about "causing adultery."

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." This is a teaching about what it means for our words to have meaning, our intentions to be true, our inner life reliable. It's not worthy of our relationship with God - or anything else that we love - that we would bind an oath with it. This is what it is to "swear." None of it is really "ours" to swear by. Rather it is our inner integrity, the truth or falseness of our promises, that really makes our word worth something. If we really think about it, what is it that you need in your relations with others but the ability to trust? So He asks us to cultivate our own integrity. My study bible says, "Jesus teaches us to live in the simplicity of the present moment."

That's quite a marvelous thought, don't you think? To live in the simplicity of the present moment is a remarkable thing. It implies integrity and strength -- minus all the rest of the things that we don't need: covetousness, the nurturing of desires that aren't good for us and destroy relationships, the overbearing drama of swearing by one thing or another that is unnecessary and troublesome, the destruction of relationships only to enter into others just as shallow and with the same lack of understanding of real relatedness. Let us think, then, about what it is to waste our time with diversions from this simplicity, from the straightforward and pure heart He seeks for us. Rather, Jesus asks us to cut out the unnecessary, the things we don't need -- and to construct and build on the positive. "To speak the truth and keep our promises," my study bible says. When Jesus preached that we are to be the "salt of the earth," a great deal of that meaning is about covenant -- our ability to seal relationships, to keep promises. It is all about an inner integrity, beginning with our commitment to God who is love, and the promise of how that means we relate to neighbor. Can we start first today by thinking about the meanings of truth, and how an inner truth reflects our integrity? We recall that Jesus' greatest condemnation comes for hypocrites - in the original Greek, meaning "actor." Let your 'yes' be 'yes' and 'no' be 'no' teaches us about our honest truth. We can "cast away" whatever stands in the way. What is your truth today, right in the simplicity of this moment? All the extraneous things we wish to add we'd best stay away from - and stick to the things we truly love.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder'

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

- Matthew 5:21-26

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued with His Sermon on the Mount. After the Beatitudes, He teaches what it is to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. This is how He wants His followers to think of themselves -- for salt, it must never lose its savor; and for light, it must shine before all, to glorify our Father who is in heaven. He also taught about the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, and that He is teaching a righteousness that "exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees." See You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world.

Let us begin today's commentary with the thoughts from yesterday's reading, on righteousness. According to the New Oxford Annotated Bible, righteousness (or right-relatedness) is "ones acceptance of God's requirements and one's being accepted by God." It refers us to the parable in Luke of the Publican and the Pharisee as illustration, a fitting comment on Jesus' words about the righteousness of His followers that is to exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees. My study bible says that righteousness is more than good acts (or proper behavior) and holy thoughts, but centers on our relationship with God. And, I would add, with others, as in the greatest commandments.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire." We begin with the law against murder. But Jesus, illustrating His righteousness that is to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, takes this law further. To be angry without a cause is to instigate discord, a kind of spiritual murder. This is contrasted with righteous anger - which does not sin (see Ephesians 4:26 and Psalm 4:4). In the former (anger without a cause) one is carried away by this feeling, but in the latter example anger does not dominate one's life and choices. "Raca!" means "empty" in Aramaic - it is a way to call someone senseless or empty-headed. The council is the Jewish legal body; this is therefore an actionable complaint. I see this in the context of relationships with spiritual "brothers" of all kinds, and to call someone a name like this is to instigate trouble, not to reconcile a difference or bring a just cause, but to foment anger and strife. To call someone a "fool" is given in Greek. The Greek word is "moros" (from which we derive the English word moron). My study bible says here that Jesus is teaching that reconciliation or peace with other believers takes primacy over the duties of worship. Therefore, truly settling a conflict becomes something entirely different within the church context than sweeping a problem under the rug, or crushing a sincere complaint.

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny." This is a way to search our hearts - is there something that we have the power to settle, something we need to take care of and do our best about? How can we make peace? Jesus is saying that to prolong a conflict isn't worth it, to take heed of how we enter into anger -- and what we may lose in the resulting strife. We are to take every measure we can to reconcile, and when that fails, we turn to God and ask to help with forgiveness, 'giving up' even what others may not help wish to reconcile at all. It is better than risking what we stand to lose in real judgment. We just don't know how far down that road of anger it may prevent us from going to refrain from calling someone a name, and reconcile before things go further. We must think about the good we could be doing with our precious lives and time instead.

Jesus therefore takes the statute against murder, and expands it to include strife of any kind among "brothers." So we must ask, what does this mean for us? The answers are many and so are the questions. What about those who do not wish to reconcile with us, who hold us in injustice and all manner of deception and difficulty? The answer is also here. We are to watch our anger, to measure our response, to keep reconciliation as the goal - and especially how we express that anger, so that we do not fan its flames. Jesus Himself will of course express His own righteous anger. He will call the scribes hypocrites in the temple. He will teach His followers to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. So how do we keep Jesus' commands here, exceeding the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and discern His teaching? We go back to Jesus' greatest commandments, which together form the commandment of love: to love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength - and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Right-relatedness is truly the key to this passage, and what we cannot reconcile we take to God in prayer and "give up" or "let go" (the translation of the Greek word for "forgive"). My study bible says, "Delaying reconciliation and good works gives room for the working of more evil." Esphesians 4:27 teaches, "Do not give the devil a foothold." How do we let our light shine through all things, and preserve our flavor of salt?

You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

- Matthew 5:13-20

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave us the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount. Seated as a rabbi teaches, He taught the blessings of righteousness, right-relatedness, in a kind of divine exchange or economy, how we are blessed in a life of discipleship - even if those blessings are not obvious to all. See Sermon on the Mount - The Beatitudes. Today we continue with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel, a great collection of Jesus' teachings.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." After Jesus teaches the Beatitudes, the blessings that belong to those who follow Him, He begins to give us a picture of what such disciples are to the world. Salt and light are the words - the metaphors - He chooses and teaches us to be. Salt is symbolic of many things, among them is the notion of covenant. It was a preservative -- and for the ancients came to have symbolic value of covenant. My study bible points out that to "eat salt" with someone meant to be bound together in loyalty. So first of all, Christ's disciples are those who are the "salt of the earth" - who are bound in covenant, who hold these precepts and carry them. They also "flavor" the world - not just a preservative but one that seasons. And salt is also a necessity for life. But Jesus speaks here primarily of salt's flavor. It becomes necessary for a good life, to season life in this world, give it zest, make it palatable. Life is not merely for endurance, but it is also for joy. It is this goodness, He teaches, that makes life good in the world. Without it, what worth is left?

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Light gives guidance, so that all may see. It illumines and enlightens. My study bible says that light is a symbol of God, "who is the true, uncreated Light. In the Old Testament light is symbolic of God, the divine Law, or Israel in contrast to the Gentiles." Of course Jesus will call Himself the "light of the world" and taught His followers to become "sons of light." Repeatedly using this metaphor of light, He taught also to "make your whole body full of light." He, as Son or Logos, is the light shining in the darkness. So the great source of light - also a necessity for life - illumines us, and we, in turn, are to be a source of illumination for the world. In this way, we return glory to God the Father, making the sacramental circle we discussed about the blessings in the Beatitudes (in yesterday's reading).

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." In this passage, Jesus assures His Jewish followers that He not only upholds the Law but fulfills it in Himself. What has come before is the full foundation of what He is about to deliver into the world. He fulfills the Prophets by carrying out what is foretold about Him. My study bible notes that Jesus also fulfills the Law by "granting righteousness -- the goal of the Law -- to us." To exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, it seems to me, goes to the teachings we were reading in Mark's Gospel last week. Righteousness is a fulfillment in the Law of God that is written on the heart. It centers on the depth of relationship to God. This doesn't forgo the observance of what is good in the society, in the Law that teaches right-relatedness, but it goes deeper into love. It solidifies the depth of relationship with God, forming a bond in the heart that enables us to become "pure in heart" (as the Beatitudes teach).

Jesus, in essence, is giving more depth to what is already known, and adding dimensions. The fulfillment that He speaks of is a fullness that becomes more dense and more dimensional than previous ideas of righteousness. He doesn't neglect the Law, and in His life He is a son of the Law and fulfills the Law Himself, but He also teaches a righteousness that goes to the heart of the commandment of love. He teaches us the fulfillment of relationship. To be "salt" and "light" is to take our savor and our light from relationship to God, to Him - and the Companion or Comforter He will send to us. We carry this with us into the world, and it becomes the flavor and the illumination of life. It is a bond, a promise, a covenant with all of us which He affirms in today's reading. How do you carry that salt and light within you? How do you share it with the world? How does its flavor give savor to your life, make it worthwhile, give you values you wouldn't otherwise have - and add the same to others? What light can you shine that reflects back to your Father in heaven in the divine economy Jesus teaches us here and in yesterday's reading, the Beatitudes? Look to the blessings He teaches, and salt and light your life with them, as they extend those blessings to others. What does it mean to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees? Let us remember the living dynamic of that relationship within ourselves, and what it brings to the world. It is the light of life, and the salt we need for life.

Sermon on the Mount - The Beatitudes

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,

For they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

- Matthew 5:1-12

On Saturday we were reading from the book of Mark, in chapter 12. But today we take up (as the lectionary goes) the book of Matthew, chapter 5. But the readings truly fall into one another, as the last reading from Mark was about the poor widow who gave so much of what she had to the temple treasury. We recall that Jesus had been quizzed or interrogated by several people, each representing different groups of the leadership. But in the last reading we had in Mark, Jesus took the scribes to task for their falseness and hypocrisy, despite their expertise in the law, and praised the poor woman, pointing out her great gifts to God. He said, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury, for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." Today we read the Beatitudes, from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and He teaches about the blessings that may be hidden, the treasure in secret, just as we discussed with the poor widow, in contrast to the scribes who love the show of place.

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Being seated is the traditional teaching position of a rabbi. Thereby we are to understand Jesus as Teacher. He is the Teacher for all of us who have faith and trust in Him. The Sermon on the Mount is the great teaching that we have: a collection of His teachings about what it is to live a righteous life.

Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The first teaching we have on blessedness is for those who are poor in spirit. If we juxtapose this teaching with our reading of yesterday (about the poor widow, and Jesus' scathing remarks about the scribes "who devour widows' houses"), we have a perfect symmetry. Those who are poor, in this sense, are those who do not put their faith in material wealth, but find wealth elsewhere, and depend upon God. They are blessed in spirit. So here we have an exchange, as we discussed in yesterday's reading. My study bible says that "blessed" in this context means a heavenly, spiritual blessedness rather than earthly happiness or prosperity. In Hebrew, "poor" means both the materially poor and the faithful among God's people. Therefore to be poor in spirit is to be humble, to thirst and hunger for something other than material wealth and what it offers us in the world.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Some commentators speak of mourning for our sinfulness. But I see this, while encompassing such thoughts, as having a greater impact, a broader meaning. It is about an exchange: what we think we lose or have lost we will find comfort for. In Christ, as the Son and therefore inseparable from Father and Spirit, we find healing, He fills up the empty places, the cracks that need healing, and restores our losses with His comfort. Indeed, sends us a Comforter.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. The "meek" indicates a disposition of centeredness or contentment, a kind of serenity in all things. My study bible says, "Meekness is an attitude of contentment with both honor and dishonor." Christ said, "Learn from Me, for I am gentle [meek] and lowly in heart (11:29)." The meek are those who are humble before God, who seek God's response to life in this world. That is, a greater perspective and discipline than a "worldly" one where material life, the here and now, is all that counts.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they shall be filled. Here is the great comment on exchange, the centerpiece of the Beatitudes in today's readings. Righteousness is "right-relatedness." It is the sum of the greatest commandments, which we read about last week in Mark's Gospel. We are to love one God with all that we are, all that is in us, and our neighbors as ourselves. If we hunger and thirst for righteousness first, then we seek the path that will give us fulfillment - God will respond to our desires.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. To be merciful is truly to be God-like. Our life in the world isn't about a strict tit-for-tat understanding, but rather the best action here and now. What makes for reconciliation? Can we let go of what we need to in order to meet those who come to us in love and friendship? My study bible says that "mercy is love set in motion, love expressed in action." We learn this love from God who is patient with us always, to lead us in God's ways, and we learn God-likeness in order to extend that in blessings to others. The word for "blessed" that appears in the beginning of each of these verses is Μακάριοι (pronounced "makaree"). Its roots come from a word meaning to extend, enlarge, lengthen and it denotes God extending grace, or benefits. So, God's mercy, extended in us, is also extended through us to others. And in the great exchange Jesus pictures, that mercy is returned to us as well. It is a constant cycle of exchange in all dimensions, within and without.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. What is it to be "pure in heart?" It is to see clearly with spiritual perception - to be able to behold life with a clear and open heart. "To be pure," my study bible says, "is to be unmixed with anything else." To be pure in heart, then, is not to have mixed motives, to be able to be devoted, to "make thine eye single" as Jesus has said elsewhere. When we love with "all our heart" (as in the greatest commandment) it is a similar state. To repent becomes a lifelong process of this type of purification - to unmuddy our hearts from that which gets in the way of the "clear view," the obstacles to faith, understanding, peace within us, and "wholehearted" love.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Here we come to the great sense of peace that Jesus confers. My study bible says, "Being Himself the source of peace, the Son of God found no price sufficient for peace but that of shedding His own blood. In doing so, Christ reveals Himself to us as the Reconciler, the Prince of Peace. . . . Peace brings communion with God and concord with all creation, the sign of our sanctity. Thus, peacemakers share God's peace with those around them, participating in the work of God's Son and becoming, by God's grace, sons of God themselves." It is again like the extension of mercy - in our reconciliation to the Reconciler, through His ransom for our freedom, we become "like Him" and extend that grace into our lives. In turn, we are again "blessed" in the eyes our Father.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Again, the great exchange is at play, at work. If we are persecuted in the world "for righteousness sake" then we are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is ours. The kingdom of heaven, in my opinion, is not a promise for the future alone, but a promise of belonging in the present time, the here and now, and it lives among us and within us. Jesus will teach His disciples as they are sent out to heal and preach, to say to those whom they encounter, "The kingdom of God has come near to you." Repeatedly, He will use this phrase in His own teaching. The kingdom dwells with us and within us and among us; it is alive to us and we are a part of it. Therefore this exchange, in which we are persecuted for righteousness' sake, is a real presence - and it extends into eternity. It is a reality that is with us now, and will be fulfilled in greater glory as we come to understand more deeply, a promise which we taste now. Our love and loyalty is always returned to us as well.

"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." And here is the true depth of the promise, which He makes to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount, and to us who still follow. It is a promise that to those to whom persecution will come -- and it would come in their lifetimes -- that there is the powerful kingdom at work, as it has been at work even among the prophets "who were before you." We get a taste, again, of the timeless reality of this presence that will be more greatly fulfilled as we are enabled to see more fully, more clearly. In 1 Corinthians 13, St. Paul wrote: "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

The great exchange is an understanding of the power of God, and how it works in our lives. The kingdom - its very presence - is present to us and lives within us, and while we are blessed by God, so we also in turn may bless others by continuing that extension. But in the great exchange, our extension of that grace becomes, in turn, re-extended to us and through us from the Source of all that is. We become "sons of God" as well. What does this great exchange mean to you? Have you been comforted in ways that go far beyond what you can explain in "worldly terms" of the material? What grace have you experienced in your life, that keeps you going on this ever-surprising journey? And if you have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, do you not understand the love that lives in you in your loyalty and friendship to Him? The love we give and receive becomes the great blessing that encompasses all, and keeps us going forward on this journey, to its fulfillment. And that love is extended and returned to us in manifold ways, beyond our understanding. How do you live it today?

They all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had

Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

'The LORD said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?" And the common people heard Him gladly.

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which makes a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury, for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

- Mark 12:35-44

In yesterday's reading, Jesus was asked by one of the scribes, "Which is the greatest commandment?" Jesus answered, repeating, "'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'" This is the first great commandment, He said, but then He also added a second, which is "like it:" "'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The scribe told Jesus that He had answered well, that "there is only one God, and to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." Jesus told him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." See There is no other commandment greater than these.

In today's reading, Jesus continues teaching in the temple. He has already been questioned by Pharisees and Herodians, by Sadducees, and a scribe. Today He takes on the scribes as a group or class of people - and it is Jesus who does the questioning.

Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."' Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?" And the common people heard Him gladly. My study bible says here, "The tables are turned: Jesus' interrogators are interrogated by Him. In the presence of the common people Jesus questions the scribes, and they are unable to answer (Matt. 22:46). The answer, of course, is that David calls Him 'Lord' in His divinity, yet Jesus is also David's Son in His humanity." In the best tradition of the Middle and Near East, Jesus poses a riddle. It is another type of parable, something that must be "opened" through spiritual sight. What is really telling about this passage is Mark's note that "the common people heard Him gladly." Jesus is anything but common - as this "riddle" teaches us about Him. And yet it is they who delight in Him, turning the tables on the scribes who are the experts in the Law. And in the next section, we find out why they delight in that.

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation." Although the scribe in yesterday's reading seemed to be sincere and true, and Jesus' personal response to him was rather favorable, as a class they are different. Jesus characterizes them here as quite haughty. The best seats in the synagogues were at the front, facing the congregation. The best places at feasts were the "places of honor," the couches at the host's table. So the scribes' delight in such elevation is contrary to Jesus' teaching to His own disciples about humility and service. My study bible says, "Jesus exposes His opponents publicly, warning Beware of the scribes. By now they hate Him. Their plans have gone awry. Though expert in the Law, they have failed to answer Jesus' questions. Mark reports only briefly on Jesus' extended critique of the Jewish leaders." For the scribes, He levels His greatest condemnation -- they are hypocrites. Their love of place includes the "devouring of widows' houses" and the "pretense of long prayers." Here is not just a critique of the scribes long gone, but a lesson for all of us who are His followers today.

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which makes a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury, for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." This is another great teaching on humility and rank: on the 'love of place' and on the value of money and gifts. It teaches us once again, also, of the "knower of hearts." Jesus knows the great sacrifice this woman makes out of her love of God. Her place is therefore elevated in God's eyes, beyond all those whose pomp and rank is visible in their hypocrisy. My study bible says, "As Jesus observes the temple treasury, a poor widow donates two mites, the least valuable coins. Jesus' deity is again manifest as He knows she put in all that she had. It is not the amount that counts with God, but the degree of sacrifice out of what a person possesses. Many who give the least give the most; some who give the most, give the least in proportion to their abundance. God takes note of our giving (Acts 10:4)."

Jesus' teachings on rank and humility encompass a broad range of subjects in terms of the leadership of the church, how the "little ones" are to be received and treated, His love of children and His desire for disciples to receive the kingdom "as a little child," and teachings on wealth or the love of money. But in today's readings, we have lessons aimed directly at those who serve the church, who would be religious leadership in God's service. While one scribe has answered well in yesterday's reading, concerning the great commandment of love, as a class they are not liked, and Jesus' criticism is truly scathing. They are hypocrites, who devour widows' houses - the poor and weak of the society. Their love of place and rank destroys all their wisdom and knowledge; if you cannot put it into practice, this law of love discussed in yesterday's reading, then you are far away from God. Indeed, this great critique leveled by Jesus is His most vehement. I have known great benefactors of churches who are themselves greedy men, taking money that wasn't theirs, who loved the pride of place more than all else as a motivation for their gifts of money that wasn't theirs to begin with. If our churches are not aware of these teachings for themselves, then we have lost the whole point. The "knower of hearts" is the One whom we worship, and these lessons are for all of us today who would serve in His church. Let us therefore take them to heart. A very important teaching that goes along with today's reading is Jesus' teaching on giving to those who cannot return - and giving in a hidden way. There is a powerful exchange that is provided by God when our giving is not received with fanfare, and when it benefits those who cannot in some way pay us back themselves - poor guests invited to a table, and the prayers to "our Father in the secret place." So the poor widow is known "in secret" for her "hidden" great giving. Let us take it to heart and remember our love for rank and place, and how it is also connected to a false and misleading love of wealth. What do you do in secret that your Father who is in the secret place will see and reward?

There is no other commandment greater than these

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.

- Mark 12:28-34

In yesterday's reading, Jesus' quizzers are still coming forth. They are in the temple, and Jesus is being questioned. First is a group of Pharisees and Herodians, who ask Him about paying taxes to Caesar. They are trying to trap Him -- if He approves of paying, then the people will dislike Him; if He disapproves, then the Roman authorities will be alerted. But Jesus sidesteps this dilemma with His own response, pointing to a coin of the realm, with Caesar's picture and inscription on it. Next, a group of Sadducees quiz Him about the resurrection, and a case in which one woman was married successively to seven brothers, without offspring. Jesus tells them they have it quite wrong - they know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. He tells them, "He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living."

In today's reading we have yet another quiz for Jesus, and this time he appears in the form of a scribe. Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" "The scribes," says my study bible, "are a professional class of experts in the Mosaic Law. While most of them were hostile to Jesus, this one seems to be a sincere inquirer." So, we understand, once again, that the question reflects the concerns of the questioner and his position or perspective. Being an expert in the Law, the scribe poses his best for Jesus. Perhaps each of these questions in this sequence of readings can be taken to reflect the perspective of each class; however, through the Gospels, we know there were exceptions to all of them. We are told of Jesus' supporters also from the ruling classes, the wealthy elite and the powerful religious leadership.

Jesus' answers, we have seen, also reflect the perspective of the questioner. He is either direct or indirect, depending on the source. In yesterday's reading, we commented on His teachings and how they are tailored for every audience He addresses. Today He answers this scribe directly and clearly. Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment." My study bible notes, "In response, Jesus quotes Deut. 6:4, 5, the greatest Jewish confession of faith, called the shema' (meaning 'hear,' the first word of the confession)." Before all things, is this first commandment - but Jesus adds a second in answer to this question.

And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." My study bible says that, in this verse, Jesus quotes Lev. 19:18, "combining what is already in the Old Testament to create a new understanding: love of neighbor is an expression of love of God." It is a deeper understanding also of the process of what it is to truly worship, and to have the depth of relationship with God we are asked to build. Not only is there a single God, but to worship with all we are is to build, in fact, union. Through our love for God, Who is love, we express that love in our world.

So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." According to the New Oxford Annotated Bible, "the words of Deut. 6:4, which are both preface to, and part of, the first commandment, define qualitatively the wholeness of the love that God requires." This the scribe has grasped. Sacrifices were only offered in the temple in Jerusalem -- we recall that it is Jesus who, in His first act of confrontation in Jerusalem, swept the temple clean of the sellers and money-changers for sacrifice. My study bible says, "The scribe's insight has penetrated beyond the Pharisees' obsession with outward forms. He understands that the condition of the heart is central to righteousness."

Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him. My study bible notes that "this scribe's wisdom and honesty bring him not far from the kingdom of God. Only God can say who is, and who is not, far from His Kingdom." Of course, the kingdom of God is also there in the presence of Jesus. In tomorrow's reading, Jesus will become the questioner of the scribes, and He will add His own feelings about the scribes as a class. But this individual comes to Him and is "not far from the kingdom of God." It is an important understanding, then, couched within this discussion of our relationship to God, of how we each come to God, as individuals - "with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and all our strength." Therefore we must never let any appellation or characterization of a "group" blind us to this understanding of God's love for each individual creature, and the potential therein for this relationship of love.

In a 4th century commentary, St. Maximos the Confessor calls this "the commandment of love." He writes, "Do not neglect the commandment of love; for through it you will become a son of God, but transgressing it you will become a son of gehenna. Love between friends is destroyed if you envy or are the object of envy; if you cause or suffer loss; if you revile or suffer revilement; and finally if you feed and keep suspicious thoughts against your brother .. Do not be conquered by hatred but conquer by love ... Pray God sincerely about him, accept his excuses or cure yourself by excusing him, regard yourself as the cause of the trial and resolve to endure until the cloud has passed. ...hasten to make your peace with him, lest you forsake the commandment of love. Fear keeps the old commandments, but that love keeps the life-giving commandments of Christ."

Let us consider, then, the law of love and how it works. God, who is love, becomes a part of us when we truly worship "with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and all our strength." To be in this kind of growing union, or communion, throughout our lives is to grow in God-likeness. We must be careful what we worship -- there is only room for one God. In a very pertinent sense, this is exactly what St. Maximos conveys above. There is only room for one God, and what is in our heart must reflect that. Let everything else go that conflicts with it, he is saying, and keep the commandment of love. How do you work on that today? To love is not an invitation for abuse or denial, but a sincere response in relationship to life and to God. Let us understand where and how it begins, and let the gospels teach us how to live its love. We are not born knowing perfect love, but we come to God and grow in relationship, and learn that love -- this is His greatest commandment.

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living

Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." So they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this? They said to Him, "Caesar's." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him.

Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife." Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken."

- Mark 12:13-27

In yesterday's reading and commentary, we read about Jesus being quizzed by the leadership of the temple.. By what authority did He cleanse the temple? Jesus doesn't answer them directly, but with His own question: whose authority did John the Baptist have to baptize? They couldn't answer, because of their fear of the crowds - and so, neither did Jesus give them an answer to this question. Jesus instead told a parable, about the vineyard owner, and the vinedressers who wounded or killed his servants, and finally murdered his son. Jesus said to them, "Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.'"

Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" It's important to understand the parties involved here who are asking the questions. In yesterday's reading, it was the religious leadership: chief priests, scribes and elders, who came asking about Jesus' authority. But today we have powerful ruling parties asking the question. The Herodians were the party around Herod the Great, who represented Rome. So this leading question comes with an important angle: will Jesus openly speak against Rome? And it's a really crafty question: what we see is a play for the hearts of the people; and at the same time, the fear of what they think (as in yesterday's reading). They flatter Jesus in saying that "He does not regard the person of men" and at the same time they believe He will not wish to alienate the crowds that resent Roman taxes.

But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." So they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this? They said to Him, "Caesar's." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him. It's important that we read about Jesus "knowing their hypocrisy," because that really forms a basis of so many of His answers as He is being quizzed. In fact, we can see that with each audience, whether it be the multitudes to whom He preaches, or His disciples in private, or here with those who seek to trap Him, Jesus gauges His answers to those to whom He speaks. He adjusts and responds appropriately for each. With the crowds, He teaches in parables, which He explains in detail to His disciples. But to these men who quiz Him He offers just about as much as they offer to Him. He turns the tables on them, and He won't give them the answer they desire. Today's reading is no exception. It's a brilliant answer, because it contains within it a question revealing the seeds of their own hypocrisy. What doesn't belong to God? In other Gospels, we're told that the crowd delighted in this answer, this response to the leadership. We can just imagine the simple and direct question, a laughable elegance with which they're chagrined: "Whose picture is this?"

Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying: "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring. And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise. So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife." Here's another important party asking Jesus a question. And the question is pertinent to their perspective. The Sadducees were a party of the wealthy, and included many landowners in Jerusalem. They are an aristocratic party and come from important family lineage. My study bible says they "held many high offices within Israel, controlling the temple and the Sanhedrin. They differed from the Pharisees in that they were politically prudent and they adapted to the presence of the Romans. They interpreted the Law even more rigidly than the Pharisees and, unlike them, the Sadducees rejected belief in angels and in the resurrection from the dead at the end of the age. The Sadducees completely disappeared after the destruction of Jerusalem." I suppose we can imagine the emphasis on property, ownership and inheritance that these men would be focused upon. Therefore this question reflects their particular emphasis in life: the here and now, and disbelief in resurrection at all - even angels and other heavenly life.

Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." Jesus tells them they do not know the Scriptures. We can take this passage as one example, from Isaiah 26:19 - "But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead." To be like angels in heaven is another important understanding of the difference between their perspective and what is, or what will be a heavenly reality. In a place where property is all, the concept of angels in heaven must be completely foreign to all understanding, especially of relationship.

"But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken." Jesus turns us to the mind of God, the reality and presence of God. It is an eternal now, and God speaks in the present tense. God is life itself, and the reality of life is God's reality. Therefore, He says, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Again, taking the perspective of the Sadducees for whom ownership is all, a living life has values and concepts that are foreign to simply what we own and control. Life itself has within it the seeds of resurrection of every kind, the ability to transform and create, to grow and multiply the things that are the treasures of heaven, that moth and rust can't destroy, and thieves can't break in and steal. Dead matter can be collected and used and transferred, but not this treasure; it is something given in exchange for faith in the things that are in our midst but can't be seen with the same sight, and requires a different perception.

Jesus returns like for like here, in some sense. He responds to His audience as is required of Him - as is befitting to the questioner and their question. Those who seek to trap Him fail to do so. Instead it is His answers that are tailored for them, for their weaknesses and their lack of understanding, and even their hypocrisy and craftiness. One presumes the Sadducees, while mistaken, are clumsy and in earnest - but, as He says, ignorant of the Scriptures and the power of God. The Pharisees, who know the Scriptures and are experts in their interpretation, are another matter entirely, and He reserves His most scathing criticism for them throughout the Gospels. From these answers, the Church Fathers have historically understood Jesus' knowing of the hearts of men - of all men, those who love Him and those who don't, and this is part of our understanding of the power of God that is present in Him. He is the "knower of hearts." Let us understand, then, that we, too, get the answers we need. In some sense, Jesus' answers - even to the ones who question Him with hostility - are always enlightening to the ones who receive them, even if they are in reply to a hostile question. We get what we need, because the answer is tailored to what is there within our hearts, our organ of perception and discernment. Even these men who ask here in order to entrap, the Pharisees and Herodians, and the Sadducees, if they listen and seek to understand, there is opportunity to learn what they truly need to know. But can they accept? Can they grow out of their own ignorance, their primary desires for the things of the world they seek to cling to? God answers our prayers one way or another, and sometimes there are things we need to learn, to break out beyond our own ignorance, and to grow. Can we handle the responses we get then? God's love will always welcome us, but it is we who must open enough to receive it, and look to the care of our hearts in order to remain capable of doing so.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone

Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?" But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question, then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things! The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Then He began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read the Scripture:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the LORD's doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

- Mark 11:27-12:12

Yesterday we read about Jesus cleansing the temple, in which He overturned the tables of the moneychangers, the chairs of the sellers of animals for sacrifice, and drove out those trading in the temple. On His way to the temple, He passed a fig tree which sprouted early leaves, but no fruit, and on return He spoke of the power of prayer to move mountains. In the temple, He quoted, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?"

Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?" The chief priests and temple leadership ask a serious and reasonable question. Jesus has acted (in yesterday's reading) as a king; His action of cleansing the temple is that of the authority of the Messiah. So serious is the question that we have representation of the fullness of the religious leadership.

But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question, then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things! The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." My study bible has an interesting note on this passage: "Answering the angry opposition's questions is often not wise. Their question By what authority are You doing these things? is logical, for Jesus acts are messianic. And there is an answer: the authority is that of Himself and His Father. But, knowing they seek to entrap Him, He will not say so. He leaves them with their question unanswered, and in confusion over His question. Those who claim to have the answers are left admitting their ignorance." I like the way that Jesus uses language to rather neatly turn the tables on them, using their own hypocrisy against them and their fear of the people. Our King remains a non-violent one, with language as His weapon, avoiding the conflict of a direct answer! Once He engaged in the cleansing of the temple, however, the stage was set for conflict - He has discredited the leadership on their own territory. In some way He also teaches us that they frankly don't deserve an honest answer; it is they who hide behind their fear of the crowds, and the treatment of John.

Then He began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?" At issue is the "ownership" of what is God's. How do we truly bear spiritual fruit? Who are those in charge of this place of fruitfulness, where a harvest is expected at vintage-time? The servants sent by the owner are the prophets, like John the Baptist, who have been "sent" through the ages. (In Isaiah 6:8, we read: "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'") The son in the parable is clearly meant to be Jesus, and this way Jesus exposes their thinking about Him. My study bible notes, "The bearing of fruit is the mark of vital spiritual life." What we must truly take a look at here is the motivation of the leadership - to hold onto power at any cost, and to seek to do so through coercion rather than righteousness, or spiritual fruitfulness.

He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read the Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" Jesus tells the parable fully against the temple leadership, and it reflects the symbolism of the colt ridden into Jerusalem in the Triumphal Entry. The vineyard is to be given to others. The "faith that moves mountains" from yesterday's reading and Jesus' discourse on faith, is the faith that makes the rejected stone the chief cornerstone.

And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away. My study bible says, "With this parable, Jesus totally discredits the religious leaders of Israel and establishes Himself as Messiah. The religious leaders plainly understand Jesus' criticism and would have Him arrested, but they feared the multitude and a possible insurrection. The leaders in Jerusalem were often viewed by the people as collaborators with the Romans, seeking to maintain their positions. Therefore the people tended to favor popular charismatic figures such as Jesus." The leadership, of course, will not stop working against Jesus - and what Jesus has prepared His apostles for will come about. The real question is how is this done? With righteousness and justice? Or using other means? It is always our choice. It depends on what we value most -- "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," Matthew 6:21.

So let us take this question for today -- what is the faith that moves the mountains? What is the force that builds a movement that can take the rejected stone and it becomes the chief cornerstone? To understand this kind of faith and power, it is necessary to understand the parable Jesus teaches about the vineyard-owner (God) and the vinedressers and servants. How do we see ourselves in service to God's righteousness? Do we align ourselves with God's will, or do we seek to own what is not really ours to own, to control it through our own selfish whims and what we think we gain through this behavior? It all comes down to what we put first. Jesus has taught repeatedly (as reported in the Gospels) the first great commandment, and will go on to so so very shortly in Mark's: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." This is what is put first, and love of neighbor follows. To understand this commandment properly, we see life as sacramental: what we have as a gift is given back to God, so that we understand our relationship to our world and our neighbor. It is this mistake the leadership is failing to make, and so their world will be turned upside down. But let us consider this story, with its conflict over a kind of ownership, a parable for ourselves and our lives. What do we claim to own and use without following that first great commandment? How do we live a really sacramental life, which sets us down in right-relatedness to others? How might our world be turned upside down by our failure to understand this message, and to see ourselves and our choices in the proper light? And where is our faith that can turn a world upside down, and move mountains?