GOSPEL READING:
Matthew 5:38-4238 "You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; 41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.
Meditation: If someone insults you or tries to take
advantage of you, how do you respond? Do you repay in kind? Jesus
approached the question of just retribution with a surprising
revelation of God's intention for how we should treat others,
especially those who mistreat us. When Jesus spoke about God's
law, he did something no one had done before. He gave a new
standard based not just on the requirements of justice - giving
each their due - but based on the law of grace, love, and freedom.
Law of grace and love
Jesus knew the moral law and its intention better than any jurist
or legal expert could imagine. He quoted from the oldest recorded
law in the world: If any harm follows, then you shall give
life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot
for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe
(Exodus 21:23-25). Such a law today seems cruel, but it was meant
to limit vengeance as a first step towards mercy. This law was not
normally taken literally but served as a guide for a judge in a
law court for assessing punishment and penalty (see Deuteronomy
19:18).
The Old Testament is full of references to the command that we
must be merciful: You shall not take vengeance or bear any
grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love
your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD
(Leviticus 19:18). If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to
eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink (Proverbs
25:21). Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I
will pay the man back for what he has done" (Proverbs
24:29). Let him give his cheek to the smiter, and be filled
with insults (Lamentations 3:30).
Jesus does something quite remarkable and unheard of. He
transforms the law of mercy with grace, forbearance, and
loving-kindness. Jesus also makes clear that there is no room for
retaliation. We must not only avoid returning evil for evil, but
we must seek the good of those who wish us ill. Do you accept
insults, as Jesus did, with no resentment or malice? When you are
compelled by others to do more than you think you deserve, do you
insist on your rights, or do you respond with grace and
cheerfulness?
Grace of the Holy Spirit
What makes a disciple of Jesus Christ different from everyone
else? What makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It
is grace - treating others, not as they deserve, but as
God wishes them to be treated - with loving-kindness and mercy.
Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny
of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the
courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to
heal and to save from destruction. The Lord Jesus suffered insult,
abuse, injustice, and death on a cross for our sake. Scripture
tells us that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin
and guilt (Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7, I John 1:7, Revelation
1:5). Since God has been merciful towards us through the offering
of his Son, Jesus Christ, we in turn are called to be merciful
towards our neighbor, even those who cause us grief and harm. Do
you know the power and freedom of Christ's redeeming love and
mercy?
O merciful God, fill our hearts, we pray, with the graces of your Holy Spirit; with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Teach us to love those who hate us; to pray for those who despitefully use us; that we may be the children of your love, our Father, who makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In adversity grant us grace to be patient; in prosperity keep us humble; may we guard the door of our lips; may we lightly esteem the pleasures of this world, and thirst after heavenly things; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer of Anselm, 1033-1109 AD)
Psalm 98:1-4
1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
2 The LORD has made known his victory, he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: You tear yourself apart by hating, by an anonymous early author from the Greek church
"We have seen how murder is born from anger and adultery from desire. In the same way, the hatred of an enemy is destroyed by the love of friendship. Suppose you have viewed a man as an enemy, yet after a while he has been swayed by your benevolence. You will then love him as a friend. I think that Christ ordered these things not so much for our enemies as for us: not because enemies are fit to be loved by others but because we are not fit to hate anyone. For hatred is the prodigy of dark places. Wherever it resides, it sullies the beauty of sound sense. Therefore not only does Christ order us to love our enemies for the sake of cherishing them but also for the sake of driving away from ourselves what is bad for us. The Mosaic law does not speak about physically hurting your enemy but about hating your enemy. But if you merely hate him, you have hurt yourself more in the spirit than you have hurt him in the flesh. Perhaps you don't harm him at all by hating him. But you surely tear yourself apart. If then you are benevolent to an enemy, you have rather spared yourself than him. And if you do him a kindness, you benefit yourself more than him." (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 13, The Greek Fathers)
