High Jumping And High Goals And Standards

Matthew 5__20 Christian Authority

The 6th Sunday after Trinity

Blessed Lord You have prepared for those who love you good things that surpass our understanding; Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. Romans 6 Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

The Gospel. St. Matthew v. 20.

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister[b][c] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[d] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. 25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Sotomayor is not a household name this year; in 2009 there was considerable discussion of Sonia Sotomayor because she was the first justice nominated to the Supreme Court to be of Hispanic background. The Hispanic part was not significant; her credentials and experience were better than many who have been appointed to the bench in the past. By her achievements, she was a cut above her peers at Yale Law School and other justices in lower courts.

On July 23 1993 Another Sotomayor set a record of excellence that to this day has

not been surpassed. Javier Sotomayor of Cuba set the world high jump record at 8 feet.

Being world High jumping champion gives one a more lasting status than that of sitting on the Supreme Court. There are, over the course of a century, dozens of Supreme Court Justices.

Since 1993 there have been 20 justices of the United States Supreme Court, but there has been only one person holding the world high jump record; Javier Sotomayor.

One cannot fairly compare the achievements of an athlete like Sotomayor with the achievements of a Supreme Court Justice because we are comparing things that differ. Undoubtedly, the achievement of a world class athlete is far more difficult because there is a standard – an unalterable standard to be met. For a person to become world high jump champion, he must make a jump higher than that unchangeable standard set in July 23, 1993 – 8 feet.