Word to the Wise
Sunday, February 23, 2020 - 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[Lev 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Cor 3:16-23; Matt 5:38-48]"Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy. You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself." [Leviticus] "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil......" "You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy... But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father....[Matthew]
The Sermon on the Mount is unrelenting. Jesus touches on fundamental instincts that go all the way back to the earliest days of human evolution - survival instincts. The us versus them distinction is rooted deeply in the need to stick together for survival. One does not slay a mammoth elephant by one's self! And when it is a matter of scarce resources like water, salt and game, anybody who gets in the way of OUR clan is the enemy!
A prominent public figure in our country has said, "If anybody hits me, I hit them back harder!" Jesus' teaching is exactly the opposite! In the history of our nation, much of our lesser moments of greatness have been the result of declaring a particular class or race or religion the "enemy" and striking out against them. The Sermon on the Mount challenges us to ask ourselves if we participate in that, even in our heart of hearts!
The Sermon on the Mount, like the Ten Commandments, is not a list of suggestions for better living and nicer conversation. They are not "options." They are the way to being "holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy." [Leviticus] and to "be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." [Matthew] AMEN