Word to the Wise
Monday, June 14, 2021 - Monday in the 11th Week in Ordinary Time
[2 Cor 6:1-10 and Matt 5:38-42]"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. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well.....[Matthew]
In a society where "honor" was and still is considered an essential component of social interaction, any slight to that "honor" would call for redress or revenge! The Mosaic Law tried to limit that to an exact measure! Jesus went further. We do not have to look far to see that his teaching is widely ignored. We don't have to look to the Middle East for examples. "Getting even" can be found inside ourselves!
Is Jesus being unrealistic? Do we dare say that to him? The Sermon on the Mount can make us squirm, and today's passage is a very good example of that impact! Does revenge lurk inside us? Are there grudges that we look for an opportunity to express? Honest self-appraisal can be a big challenge, but it is the challenge of the Sermon on the Mount. Are we listening? AMEN