Super Bowl and Lustful Thoughts

This sermon can be listened to here

Gate Pa –  6^th Sunday in Ordinary Time- Year A - 2020

Readings:

Psalm                                      Psalm: 119:1-8   
First Reading                             Deuteronomy 30: 15-20 

Second Reading                       1 Corinthians 3: 1-9

Gospel                                        Matthew 5: 21-37

What I want to say:

What does it mean for Jesus to fulfil the law? This week we are given examples of how Jesus reads the law. It is to create a community where all can thrive, not just the rich and the powerful. Where the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn etc… are able to be all God desires for them. This happens when we see and treat each person as our sister and brother, and when we take responsibility for our reactions to each person.

The use the reaction to the Super Bowl half time show as an example of both how this does not happen, and how it might happen.

What I want to happen:

People to reflect on their own reactions to all this.

The Sermon

       1.     Introduction:

Jesus calls some people who have been engaging with him
fisherman and others

inviting them to follow

To embrace a new identity

A new way of seeing the world

To be his disciple

And after a short while he gathers them

Up a hill

Overlooking their world

All they had known of life

Violence always lurking on the edge

Poverty defining each day

The constant demand of upholding honour

Surviving Rome

Paying the masters

And gesturing at this world

he invites them

To imagine a world where the most important people are:

the poor in spirit,

those who mourn,

the meek,

those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

the pure in heart,

the merciful,

the peacemakers,

those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,

How different would this world be?

This is a world where all flourish

A community that gathers around all

Where the common good is held as paramount

Where all are treated with honour and respect

And given what they need to thrive

This is not our world

He finishes with, "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you 
and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in reign of God,

for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Imagine this world for a moment

When we imagine THIS world

Live in this world

Help this world come into being

Then we are the salt disc of the earth oven;

helping God’s reign to bubble away

When we imagine THIS world

Live in this world

We are light

living the reign of God

living so others will see God's goodness.

He continues

Don't think that my teachings replace or reduce the law and the prophets.

And don't think you can skip the details.

Details count.

But something more than the details is also needed.

You must align your whole self with what God desires

And what does God desire?

This world just described

Held in the beatitudes

This is the reign of God

This is what the law and the prophets are all about

What did you hear?

What stands out?

What surprised you?

What questions do you have?

How do you want to respond?

       2.     He goes on

But Jesus doesn’t stop there

He goes on

He offers examples of what he has been talking about so far

Only most of the time

Because we cut up the bible into little bits with separate headings and chapters

And because we chop it up Sunday by Sunday

And because we hardly ever read the whole sermon on the Mount in one hit

We miss it

We hear Jesus doing the very thing he said he was not doing

We hear him offering a new law.

But this not a new law

This is a reading of the law

A reading based on everything he has said before

E reading based on the beatitudes

And the world imagined in them

He begins with a commandment

-         “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times,

o   a way of speaking honourably of one of the commandments

-          ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’

-         But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.

When our relationship with each other are broken

When we fail to see the other as our sister or brother

When we place our own flourishing ahead of everyone else

Then our community is not all that God desires

The beatitudes are not lived out

We open the door to exclusion

Belittlement

Violence

Murder

       3.     Sexy thoughts

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

How do we understand this?

Superbowl 2020 half time show

J Lo and Shakira

First time Latinos have headlined hald time show

Big deal

100 million people tune into this thing

Huge

Immediate response was really positive

Shakira and Jennifer Lopez have officially made history together with their jaw-dropping, energetic and Latina-powered Super Bowl halftime show.

The Colombian and Puerto Rican artists spotlighted some of their biggest talents Sunday night at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, from Shakira playing various instruments to J.Lo’s impeccable dance moves.

They also used their stage time to send a subtle political message when Lopez's daughter Emme got onstage to kick off her mother's 1999 hit “Let’s Get Loud.” Their performance brought awareness of the humanitarian crisis at the Southern border when dark patches of the field were illuminated by several neon structures with children caged inside.

Latino people across America and beyond effusive

Loving seeing two idols with 2 biggest Latino hip hop artists singing Spanish

The Latina powerhouses also paid tribute to their roots by incorporating different choreography, such as the Afro-Colombian Champeta and Puerto Rico’s salsa.

“So proud.” “Beautiful.” “Important.” “Significant.”

All not happy

One Latino writer living in mostly white, mostly liberal upper middle class area was surprised some neighbours posted on social networks how uncomfortable they were

-         Lot crotch shots

-         Gyrating hips

-         Skimpy clothes

-         What thing 50 and 43 year olds thinking?

-         Family show

-         What going to tell their children

Picked up steam

Uncomfortable became outrage

-         “Disgusting!” “Trashy!” “Slutty!”

-         Corrupting their children

-         Tempting happily married men

-         Is this what Jesus talking about in todays passage

-         These women tempting men to look at these two woman with lust

-         if so they committed adultery with them in their hearts

One uber Christian commentator thought so

Invited lawyers contact him

Sue J-Lo and Shakira, NFL, and TV network for putting these thoughts into his head and making him fit for hell.

That is how this passage has been read for a long time by many people

Some form of that used often rape trials by defence

I know she said no

But she dressed to say yes

She put these thoughts into my client’s head

She has had sex before

This is all her fault!

Still used today trials in this country

Is that really what Jesus meant?

       4.     Alternative

Not if we put this passage back into context sermon on mount

Not when we ready beatitudes first

Not if we keep in mind world Jesus is inviting us to imagine.

Jesus is clearly saying that if we live for the other

So that all thrive

How we see people and react to people is our responsibility

"This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you,

24 abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.”

So how might men respond to that show?

-         With joy

-         Applauding the energy and wonder of the show

-         Standing with their political statements

-         Rejoicing at Latino culture taking central stage

-         How we respond is entirely up to us

What about you

What do you think Jesus is saying?