How does Christ make your journey different?

     Jesus packs another wallop for us in this week's gospel lesson.  We read from Matthew 5.21-37 this week, and it is a series of Jesus' teaching on anger, reconciliation, murder, lust, adultery, and swearing.  Anger has suddenly escalated into murder. Lust has escalated into adultery and torn out eyes and cut off arms.  Divorce becomes adultery, oaths become something from the evil one.  To those who would say Christianity is all about rules, I think Jesus' teachings for today give a big boost to your side of the argument.
     Right before Jesus begins this series of teachings, he says that unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees (the best of the rule-keepers), we will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  And then Jesus starts in today's lesson.  He takes the rules that the Scribes and Pharisees know and he modifies them, re-interprets them into something totally different.  You shall not murder.  A pretty easy command to keep.  Until Jesus reinterprets it to say that murder is anything that takes life - anger, insults, bad thoughts, and arguments.  Yikes!  I think even the Scribes and Pharisees would quake at this - who can live life never getting angry?  Jesus himself became angry! 
     One of my colleagues said, "I wonder if Jesus is saying all this with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek."  Is he making a point rather than being literal?  After all, if we were to do what Jesus said shouldn't there be a lot more one-eyed, one-handed Christians running around?  What man, after hearing that having lust for a woman is equivalent to adultery would then turn around and divorce his wife on the grounds of adultery?  I saw a bumper sticker today that said, "Faith is a journey.  Not a guilt trip." 
     Jesus' words can easily have us falling into a guilt trip - we just can't seem to follow the rules because as soon as we think we are following them, we find that we've been messing it up all along.  Or maybe there's some sin that you continually struggle with.  White lies, or overeating, or lust, or...  But thankfully faith is a journey, and in Jesus' teachings, he is inviting us to come along with him.  He is inviting us to a different way of life, one in which we rely on him instead of rules.  One in which people are reconciled and live in community with one another.  One in which no one is objectified, but all are seen as beloved creatures of God.
     So if faith is a journey, I am left to ponder this mystery: How does Christ make your journey different?