Checking our direction

There are tensions today in the text from the Roman Catholic Lectionary between literal and symbolic actions and traditional and alternate interpretations of the messages in the Sacred Texts. The Book of Kings tells of what Friar Jude Winkler describes as almost a depression led journey of Elijah both running from and seeking direction from God. The mountain experience in previous chapters on Mt Carmel where the gods of baal are defeated is followed by the encounter with God in the still small voice on Mt Horeb, which Friar Jude associates with the simple things in life, and the specification of the mission of Elijah to conclude his service by anointing rulers for both Israel and Syria before passing his prophetic mantle to Elisha. This anointing of Jew and Gentile is the statement of the universal love of God for all nations. The Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel from Matthew, which was written to an audience of Christian from Jewish heritage, continues what Mariana Miller writes is Jesus invitation for us to go deeper into the spirit of the Law and reflect today on what is the root of the sin of adultery. Jesus points to lust as the root of adultery. In the text from Matthew, Jesus is following the order of the Commandments in Exodus 20 as He placed the root of murder in anger in previous texts. The relationship of misdirected desire, or concupiscence, to sin is a tension in Christianity which was part of the differing opinions of some Protestant Reformers. The direction or the course we set in our lives by anger, lust and false testimony is not toward deeper resonance with the Christ through the Spirit. To respond only to the point of sin, as might be determined by a modern Pharisee, is to miss the message which Jesus is conveying about the desire of our hearts being directed away from Him.