Homily For The 7th Sunday In The Ordinary Time, Year A, February 19, 2023.
“Retaliatory violence will not break the downward spiral of violence. It will only fan the flames of hatred and war. Active nonviolence breaks the cycle of violence. Nonviolently resist those who do evil; don’t become like them”- John Dear
My Dearest Friends in Christ,
I welcome you in the peace of Christ. We have all gathered today praying the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to welcome these seemingly hard teachings of our Master Jesus Christ. As difficult as these teachings may sound, they are what clearly demarcate us from the ungodly and truly defines God’s expectations of us as His children.
The readings of today, especially the gospel the continuation of Christ’s teachings on the commandments which we heard last Sunday. The readings of this Sunday highlight, what I choose to call, the difficult or controversial teachings of Christ. Controversial in the sense that many would find it difficult to accept them because they are against the natural human impulse/ instinct of revenge. In an age associated with all forms of violent behavior, these teachings challenge us to practice forgiveness, love, and nonviolence.
The Old Testament Mosaic Law and Teachings on Retribution
It is wrong to see the Mosaic law as a law of retribution ( retaliatory). Even in the OT we also hear echoes of Christ’s teaching in the gospel: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” ( cf. Leviticus 19:18) Many Christians see retribution in the following phrase: “…an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” (Exodus 21:24, 26). But the key is restitution, and that is an entirely different thing. Unlike our own legal systems that punish the transgressor of the law and give little help to the victim, the Law of Moses was organized to compensate the victim and move the transgressor on to repentance. Three things must be noted about this eye-for-an-eye application: “First, it was intended to be a law of exact justice, not of revenge. Secondly, it was not private vengeance, but public justice. Thirdly, by excluding murder from the crimes for which ransom is permissible ( Nu. 35:31f .) it makes it probable that compensation for injuries was often or usually allowed to take the form of a fine.”
Christ’s Own teaching and His Interpretation of the Law
Jesus’ teachings may not be legal and technical, but they extend deeply and profoundly into the practical situations of conflict, oppression, and the needs of everyday life. His teachings confront the popular misuse and abuse of the Old Testament Mosaic law.
These teachings earned Christ the enmity of many, especially the scribes and the Pharisees who interpreted the law to suit themselves. It was because of teachings of this nature, that Christ was greatly opposed, persecuted, and crucified. In the gospel, we heard Christ saying: “You have heard that it was said… But I say to you” This statement clearly marks a departure from the teachings and interpretations of Pharisees on the Mosaic law. It introduces a new understanding of Christian relationships rooted in the law of love and divine forgiveness.
The first reading from the book of Leviticus enjoins us to be holy, and going further warns us about anger which breeds revenge. Many great works have been written warning on the disastrous effect of anger not just to our emotional, psychological, and bodily health, but also it’s a negative impact on human relationships. Anyone can be angry. Yet as a rule of thumb, being angry to the right degree, at the right time, and in the right circumstance is not evil. It is uncontrolled anger and unforgiveness that are the root causes of revenge. Last Sunday Christ encouraged us to reconcile with our brother or sister first, before going to church to offer our gifts. Going to Church with anger in your heart is the worst form of self-deception because your religious observance is simply empty. It was for such an attitude that Christ in Mathew 16:8 says: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me“. From the first reading, we can see that to be truly holy includes among other things, a clean heart free from anger and revenge.
You Are God’s Temple
Paul reminds us in the second reading that we are God’s temple. God does not dwell in a heart filled with hatred and revenge. We expel God from His temple and our bodies when we harbor revenge, anger, grudges, and hatred against another. “Becoming a fool so as to become wise” as Paul puts it today, collaborates these difficult teachings of Christ in the gospel. In the minds of people who think they are wise, it may sound stupid, senseless, and a sign of weakness to pray for or to love our enemies and those who persecute us. It may also sound ridiculous to turn the other cheek for someone who has given you a dirty slap. What about an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth? Gandhi once said: If we all live by the principle of an eye for an eye, the whole world will go blind. We all at one time or another in life have offended others. If you think somebody is your enemy think also of those who see you as their enemy. So, if we all are suspicious of one another as enemies there can hardly be peace, love, and understanding among us. We can never heal the world with violence. We can never claim to be true Christians if we repay violence for violence. To be a true child of God is often to appear foolish when we let peace reign to please God. It does not imply not defending oneself from the aggressive behavior of others (self-defense). You have to defend yourself to the right degree without injuring the life of another. If you can defend yourself without hurting an unjust aggressor, it is recommended you do such.
Is Christ’s Teaching Impossible To Fulfil
Men and women of our age in their natural inclinations might see these teachings of Christ as hard and impossible tasks, but when filled with the grace of God they become almost a routine way of life. If it were not right to pray for our enemies or to avoid revenge, Christ would not have taught us to live by these teachings. Do not forget, it is these seemingly impossible teachings, that distinguish you from pagans and sinners ( tax collectors) who only love those that love them. God wants you to do the unusual and that is to love those who hate you. That is what makes you different.
What Makes Our Christianity Different
My Dearest, what else do we need to know about Christianity than to say it is a religion of peace? This is what distinguishes her from many religious sects that profess violence as a creed. Revenge has never done any good to anyone. Do not practice revenge for vengeance is for God ( cf Rom 12:19). A man in a certain community lost his two sons when he tried to perpetrate revenge upon his elder brother. He poisoned the food of his brother’s children, but unfortunately, his own children, unknown to him, shared the food with their cousins. It was a tragedy for the whole family as 4 children were buried in a day because of the revengeful heart of one man. My dear, just leave it for God. Someday it shall be well again. Do the best you can when you can and while you can. Desire to please God and not men. Forgive and let it go. God has a way of rolling the dice in your favor. He has a way of bringing back your lost fortunes. To be true sons and daughters of our God, we must pray unceasingly asking God for the grace to live holy lives in obedience to His teachings.
“If you are suffering from a bad man’s injustice, forgive him, lest there be two bad men.” — St. Augustine
Teach My Heart O Lord To Live By Your Commands
I keep you and your family always in my prayers. ©Clem C. Aladi (2024)
