Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
I’ve noticed something about my kids’ interactions over the years that I suspect is not uncommon among siblings, close cousins, and even classmates as they spend a lot of time together. I’ve noticed that one of them will say or do something that is insulting or aggravating to the other until the recipient finally retaliates by hitting or yelling, getting themselves in trouble while the instigator appears innocent and victimized by the lashing out (and is usually the one that ends up “tattling”!). Thankfully, I caught on to this pretty quickly (as do astute teachers) and learned to discipline both of the kids in this scenario so as not to inadvertently encourage the one doing the provoking.
I am reminded of this situation as I read and reflect on today’s gospel passage (Matthew 5: 20-26). In this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is instructing his disciples in the importance of not just carrying out the letter of the law, “You shall not kill,” but to also refrain from anger toward one another. Jesus cautions that those who insult their “brother,” which can cause anger that can lead to murder, will also be held accountable. (Scripture scholars tell us that “Raqa” in verse 22 is a term of abuse.) Like the child insulting his/her sibling or classmate and provoking their anger, Jesus is teaching the disciples to take the law of their ancestors to a deeper level and to avoid provoking anger in another. And if we are angry with someone or know that they are angry with us, we are called to make amends with that person, be reconciled, before offering our gifts at the altar.
In other words, we are to be completely honest with God and with ourselves about what unresolved anger we are holding in our hearts or need for reconciliation with another that may be preventing us from fully offering the gift of our self, our very lives, to God. If we go to mass and pray and call ourselves followers of Christ, then we are called to be reconciled with one another and with God. Not always an easy thing to do and one that requires a good deal of honesty and humility, but the rewards are greater fullness of life and relationships, and helping to bring about God’s kingdom.
Yes, it takes faith, which we are given an example of in today’s first reading (1 Kings 18: 41-46) as the prophet Elijah waits for the Lord to send the rain that He had promised after a time of drought. Elijah climbed the mountain with his servant who he instructed to look out to the sea for signs of the rain; and, although he saw nothing, Elijah did not give up or lose faith. He instructed his servant to look again and again, until finally on the seventh time he reported seeing a small cloud rising up from the sea. That was the sign Elijah was waiting for and soon the sky grew dark and heavy rain fell as promised.
I know that sometimes I get discouraged after just one or two times of looking for God’s sign or an answer to a prayer, but Elijah was full of faith and did not lose hope. I would like to apply that kind of faith and hope to the call of discipleship to be reconciled with one another. Then, our lives can be fully offered as gifts to God knowing, like Elijah, that we will be blessed with abundant rain/ blessings of love in our relationships with God and each other.
Eileen Miller