Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Scriptures, in one sense, could not be further apart in describing human behavior. The verses from 1 Kings relate a story of King Ahab and Jezebel and their murder of Naboth to obtain his vineyard. Ahab and Jezebel epitomize how godless and base human behavior can be. Idolatry, lying, stealing, and even murder appear to come fairly easily as they pursue their own personal interests.
In the Gospel reading from the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is teaching his disciples how different things operate in the Kingdom of God. He says to his disciples “You have heard it said ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” alluding to the “old law” from the book of Exodus (Ex 20:7). Jesus continues, “but I say to you offer no resistance to one who is evil” (Mt 5:39). Then Jesus, taking us further into the realm of the Kingdom says: “When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other to him as well….Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles.” (Mt 5:39, 41). Jesus is being very specific here and there is every reason to assume he means exactly what he says: Not only is retaliation not a part of the Kingdom of God, but Jesus is asking his disciples to actively respond with love—actually retaliate with love! I wonder if his disciples were shocked or confused or both as they listened to Jesus. I have been trying to think of instances when I have witnessed this and realize how rare it is to see this passage truly lived out.
Now I will probably never be in a position of restraining myself from snatching the eye of another person or smacking another in the face, but I may daily face opportunities to retaliate in different ways. I must remember several things about Jesus and the Kingdom: not one teaching of the Master is intended to transform me for my sake alone, any transformation that occurs in me as an individual is only by the grace of God, and any transformation in me is expressly for the purpose of bringing to fullness His Kingdom. Being a disciple always involves the human community and my role in it. In truth, all my individual actions impact the human community in some manner. In truth, I am part of the good and bad in the human community. While I may not participate in certain sins or evils, as a member of the human community I must realize my complicity in the less than admirable part of human existence. I am mixed (mixed up!); this includes virtue and vice, good and bad, strengths and weaknesses. I must assume responsibility for my complicity by virtue of the fact that I am part of the human community. In the Kingdom of God all my actions and the actions of my brothers and sisters take on a cosmic significance. It’s not about me…it’s about God and his reign! Although not part of today’s readings, there is a verse from Ephesians that truly changed my perspective in this regard: “For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12) This tells me who I am fighting against as well as who I am NOT fighting against. It puts a different spin on everything and much of what seemed to call for retaliation now appears as silliness. People do bad things but people are not the bad things they do. This does not mitigate, justify or undo evil deeds. The truth of this is realizing how limited it is to love in a purely human way which imposes conditions, is limited by my weakness, and can easily be overruled by my ego.
The Sermon on the Mount does nothing if it does not bring me face to face with the ultimate decision of my existence: complete faith in God or faith in myself. When I approach these hard and beautiful Scriptures, I realize, in my broken humanness, the impossibility of the calling. At the same time I must realize it is not me or my brother or my sister or my community that accomplishes these things—it is God. We live in a world that often seems hopeless and contrary to the Kingdom, where everything “human” calls for and justifies retaliation and self interest reigns. I must accept the fact that, in spite of the overwhelming evidence otherwise, God has a much bigger plan, far beyond the limits of my understanding. Is the depth of my faith such that, in the face of tremendous resistance, I can intuitively follow the Gospel teaching of Jesus, follow his example, remain focused only on Him? Even more, can I retaliate with love? Only by living in close and prayerful relationship with Jesus and in the company of fellow disciples can I even hope to live in a state that grants me the grace to actively respond in this way, in the way God loves instead of reacting to protect my ego or self interest. And then I am relieved of the hard and fruitless effort of trying justifying myself as it is Jesus who justifies me.
O Holy Immortal Mystery,
My Creator and Source,
Hold me close to you this day,
Shelter and protect me,
Increase my love for you
Increase my love for you.
And use me as you wish.
With Mary’s intercession,
In Jesus name, I pray.
Amen
-Gail Lyman