A homily for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
During the season of lent, I give up coffee, which means I’m going to be making tea. So heat up water and I usually use the microwave, heat it up to boiling and make my tea. Brother David says, why are you using that? That’s slow? Use the kettle. And I said, what kettle? There’s a kettle in that kitchen. I’ve never used it.
And he says it’s induction heating. I go, what’s induction heating? And he explains it uses magnets and it heats up the water very fast. So I tried it. Okay. We’ll use the kettle. I put two cups of water in the kettle
and two cups of water in the microwave. Let’s see which is more efficient. Microwave. I can understand how it works.
The kettle I don’t quite understand. So I timed it.
Sure enough, the kettle was much faster. A much better way of heating up water, and I could use the microwave from then on if I wanted to. But why? I have a better way of doing it. Either way is good. One is better. And I think that sums up this sermon on the mountain, these, teachings of Jesus.
He’s not saying the old teachings are wrong, but there are better. That’s why he says the law is not canceled. And, it’s he’s not come to abolish the law because the law works. But he has a better way. You know, treat people with respect instead of just as objects. You know, your spouse. People. Not just to be, abused for your pleasure or offer times go. You were told that. But what I teach you is when, for example, eye for an eye. Eye for an eye is a great law. Because before that, it was you. Touch me. I burned your house down. Eye for an eye is a much better law. But he says even has a better law. Do not return evil for evil or injury for evil.
Let it go that way. You’re not going to be resentful. That way you’re not going to be, escalating back and forth. Just let it go and your heart will be better. So that’s what these teachings of the, sermon of the Mount are. There’s a better way. You can do the old way, and it works, and it’s fine.
But there is even a better way. Saint Teresa of Avila writes, and she talks. And this is about the four waters, about four different ways of praying. And she writes, it seems the garden can be watered in four ways. You may draw water from a well or by means of a water wheel, or it may flow from a river or a stream, or the water may be provided by a great deal of rain.
Each of those ways of watering the garden is fine. It’s good, but each is better. I think that’s what Jesus is getting in. There are better ways. The old ways are good, but this way is even better.
