A NEW TAKE ON
MATTHEW 5: 43-48
MATTHEW 5: 43-48
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 11th Tuesday in
Ordinary time is, “A New Take on Matthew 5: 43-48.
As you know we’re going through the Sermon on the Mountain
once more this year around this time. The first reading switches every other
year, but the Gospels are the same.
In this section of the Sermon, Jesus deals with how we deal with those folks
we don’t like - those folks we get angry or agita
with - those folks we feel we want to get even with - or what have you.
TODAY
Yesterday Jesus urged no retaliation - like the old law of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Rather he urges that we go to the other extreme and stop the wars and the in fighting - by turning the other cheek - going the extra mile. End the law suits. Today Jesus tells us to love our enemies - and those people we hate.
The obvious reason is because that’s how we can change
things. That’s how we stop family and neighbor fights - by swallowing that
venom inside our mouths - inside our cheeks.
Then last night - as I read today’s gospel - I got a new take on Mathew 5: 43-48.
It’s not profound - but it hit me in a way I hadn’t thought
about before - and this is over the 48th time I’ve gone through this
reading at least.
What hit me was that Jesus ends today’s gospel by talking
about how God the Father is. God is perfect. Here Jesus is asking us to love
our enemies and the one’s we hate to be with or those who hate us. What about
God loving his enemies and those who hate him?
What about all those people who die - and most of their
lives they ignored God, were indifferent to him, cursed God, didn’t want to
know God - or lived a life of me, me, me, and then they die and God welcomes
them with great love and shocks them with his love and his embrace.
Now that’s a different take on a basic religious attitude
and thought.
Now one can get texts like Matthew 25 when we end up at the
end in heaven or hell as a sheep or a goat depending on whether we helped our
brother and our sister or Luke 16 when poor Lazarus ends up in bosom of Abraham
and the rich man lands in the bosom of fire.
There are those texts. There is also evidence at times that
God might be different than what we expect. There is evidence that some of
those who have been good - who kept all the rules - are going to be furious
when they spot this forgiving God. Hey
not fair. Some are going to be like the older brother of the prodigal son. Some
are like those who worked all day long in the vineyard - and they only get as much as those who
jumped into the vineyard the last hour. Not fair. Not fair. Not fair. Some are
going to be like the Good Thief stealing heaven at the last hour - and others
aren’t going to like it.
But the Father - as Jesus puts it is perfect - so maybe
that’s a glimpse of what perfection is - and Jesus wants us to have that love and embrace for all - even the ones we
consider God and life’s enemies.
CONCLUSION
Now this is my new wondering. Obviously, I need to pray and
think more about it.
Last night as I read this gospel story - that’s what hit me. What hits you? I would think some of us are we here because we feel, we rather not take chances. We rather go through life and end up life with the spirit of love. Then our children and others will catch it in us - and want to know where we got this spirit and they might want some. I don’t know, but it’s worth pondering and praying over.
Of course A is better than B - but maybe we need to learn
both and deal with both. Amen.