February 11
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time MT 5/17-37BACKGROUND
Today's gospel illustrates how the Sermon on the Mount is a kind of mixtum-gatherum account of the teachings of Jesus. It is a collection of sayings about the Jewish law that Jesus probably spoke on different occasions. The Evangelist is trying to explain the relationship between the Jewish law and the preaching of Jesus, a problem which puzzled many in the early Christian community to whom he was writing. In effect, he says, Jesus teachings fulfilled the law instead of replacing it. The most interesting part of the passage for us today is the segment where he speaks as a proto feminism and rejects the notion that only women can commit adultery against their spouses (a man committed adultery only against the husband of the other woman.)
STORY
Once upon a time a husband and a wife had a big fight. No one was quite sure what the fight was about. Each time one or the other told the story of the fight it changed. Then they fought about what the fight was about and what the other person had said the day before about the fight. Technically they were not talking to one another, but they could still talk enough to keep the fight going. Maybe I should get a divorce if you're so fed up with me, the man said. Fine, said his wife, only you get the kids. So he stopped talking about divorce. Their guardian angels had a summit conference and decided that something had to be done. They arranged for the husband's car to be bumped by a hit and run driver. Neither car was badly damaged, but the poor husband spent two days in the hospital under "observation." The quarrel was quickly forgotten. The wife said sometimes I think I'd be better off without you then I face the prospect of being without you and realize I'd not be better off. So they fell in love all over again, which is what St. Valentine's day this week is supposed to be about.
