Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The first reading continues the story of Ahab’s and Jezebel’s treacherous actions. Yesterday we read how Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard and how Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, takes matters in hand and plots against Naboth to have him killed. In the first reading for today we see how Ahab takes possession of Naboth’s vineyard after Naboth is killed. In response, the Lord sends Elijah to meet Ahab and to call Ahab out for his rebellion against the Lord. Ahab’s response is noteworthy. He tears his garments, puts on sack cloth, and begins to fast. In doing this, Ahab is repenting of his misdeeds before the Lord.
This story shows a clear example of Ahab’s wickedness and injustice—he was using murder as a means to take someone else’s property. It also shows how Ahab makes himself God’s enemy by doing what was displeasing to God. Ahab’s willingness to benefit from the evil actions of Jezebel, together with his idolatry (mentioned in 1 Kings 21: 26), show a willful opposition to the God and the God’s commands. Yet, it is striking that, despite Ahab’s enmity towards God, God remains merciful. In response to Ahab’s repentance, God states that he will hold back from punishing Ahab directly. Instead he will reserve punishment until after Ahab is deceased (1 Kings 21: 29).
There is a direct connection between the mercy that God shows towards Ahab and Jesus’ teaching in the gospel for today. Jesus talks about how we are supposed to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. If God has forgiven us our sins, then we are expected to forgive other people the offenses they commit against us. We repay God’s kindness very poorly if we do not forgive other people when God has already forgiven us and shown us great mercy. But this raises questions as well: Does loving our enemies mean that we must ignore the ways that we are mistreated or hurt by other people, or does it mean that we must allow ourselves to be mistreated? It seems to me that the answer to this question is a clear no. Forgiveness cannot truly take place unless we have first acknowledged that some harm has taken place.
Furthermore, as Christians we are called to actively resist injustice and evil in the world. So in learning to love or enemies and pray for those who persecute us, we are not being asked to ignore the evil that occurs, nor are we being asked to avoid trying to prevent people from suffering harm and injustice. But it does mean that we need to overcome the hatred and ill will that we may feel in our hearts towards those who commit acts of evil and injustice. This is much easier said than done; however, if Jesus commands it of his disciples then he must be willing to help us to do it.
The scriptures for today remind us of the need for to practice forgiveness—both for our own good and so that we can bear witness to God’s love in the world. In reflecting on the need to forgive other people, I am reminded of Jesus’ suffering and the way that he forgave those who put him to death. It makes sense that Jesus would ask his disciples to forgive in the same way. Today I pray that God would give me a spirit of forgiveness. May God remove from my heart any tendency to hold onto past hurts and to fail to forgive other people. In so doing, I hope to emulate the love that God has shown to me.
-Joel Schickel