Character or Comfort?

I wonder what it would look like if we compared the songs that we sang last week in church with Jesus' Sermon on the Mount? How often did we sing of God's mercy, grace, forgiveness...and of our need for Him, our desire to feel His love, our assurance that we were special to Him? Our songs might convince a visitor that our faith is all about our emotions- our needs, our desires, and our happiness.
Jesus does not seem too bothered with feelings in this, his most famous sermon.

Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times 'You shall not murder"....
But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister then you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister you will be liable to the council; and if you say 'You fool', then you will be liable to the hell of fire.....
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Matthew 5: 21- 28

This is hard teaching. The Ten Commandments were daunting enough- those uncompromising rules, laid down in such negative language, caused us to struggle with their restrictiveness and absolute nature. But now, just as we were hoping that Jesus would come to soften the Law, he speaks instead of something far more difficult- not morality, but character. He speaks here of what sort of people he is calling us to be. At the end of chapter 5 he says

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5: 48

Perhaps this is why we need seasons in the year such as Lent. In between the magic and mystery of Christmas, the triumph and hope of Easter and the excitement and promise of Pentecost, we need a pause to listen to this, our calling- not to feel good but to be good.