오늘의 복음

June 18, 2007 Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Margaret K 2007. 6. 18. 09:27

  2007년 6월 18일 연중 제11주간 월요일

 

 제1독서 코린토 2서 6,1-10


형제 여러분, 1 우리는 하느님과 함께 일하는 사람으로서 권고합니다. 하느님의 은총을 헛되이 받는 일이 없게 하십시오. 2 하느님께서 말씀하십니다. “은혜로운 때에 내가 너의 말을 듣고, 구원의 날에 내가 너를 도와주었다.” 지금이 바로 매우 은혜로운 때입니다. 지금이 바로 구원의 날입니다.
3 이 직분이 흠잡히는 일이 없도록, 우리는 무슨 일에서나 아무에게도 지장을 주지 않으려고 합니다. 4 오히려 우리는 모든 면에서 우리 자신을 하느님의 일꾼으로 내세웁니다.
곧 많이 견디어 내고, 환난과 재난과 역경을 겪으면서도, 5 매질과 옥살이와 폭동을 겪으면서도 그렇게 합니다. 또 수고와 밤샘과 단식으로, 6 순수와 지식과 인내와 호의와 성령과 거짓 없는 사랑으로, 7 진리의 말씀과 하느님의 힘으로 그렇게 합니다. 오른손과 왼손에 의로움의 무기를 들고, 8 영광을 받거나 모욕을 당하거나, 중상을 받거나 칭찬을 받거나 우리는 늘 그렇게 합니다.
우리는 속이는 자같이 보이지만 실은 진실합니다. 9 인정을 받지 못하는 자같이 보이지만 실은 인정을 받습니다. 죽어 가는 자같이 보이지만 이렇게 살아 있습니다. 벌을 받는 자같이 보이지만 죽임을 당하지는 않습니다. 10 슬퍼하는 자같이 보이지만 실은 늘 기뻐합니다. 가난한 자같이 보이지만 실은 많은 사람을 부유하게 합니다. 아무것도 가지지 않은 자같이 보이지만 실은 모든 것을 소유하고 있습니다.



복음 마태오 5,38-42

그때에 예수님께서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
38 “‘눈은 눈으로, 이는 이로.’ 하고 이르신 말씀을 너희는 들었다. 39 그러나 나는 너희에게 말한다. 악인에게 맞서지 마라. 오히려 누가 네 오른뺨을 치거든 다른 뺨마저 돌려 대어라. 40 또 너를 재판에 걸어 네 속옷을 가지려는 자에게는 겉옷까지 내주어라. 41 누가 너에게 천 걸음을 가자고 강요하거든, 그와 함께 이천 걸음을 가 주어라. 42 달라는 자에게 주고 꾸려는 자를 물리치지 마라.”

 

 

 

 

 

 June 18, 2007

 Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

  

 Reading 1
2 Cor 6:1-10

Brothers and sisters:
As your fellow workers, we appeal to you
not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:

In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.
We cause no one to stumble in anything,
in order that no fault may be found with our ministry;
on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves
as ministers of God, through much endurance,
in afflictions, hardships, constraints,
beatings, imprisonments, riots,
labors, vigils, fasts;
by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness,
in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech,
in the power of God;
with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left;
through glory and dishonor, insult and praise.
We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful;
as unrecognized and yet acknowledged;
as dying and behold we live;
as chastised and yet not put to death;
as sorrowful yet always rejoicing;
as poor yet enriching many;
as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 98:1, 2b, 3ab, 3cd-4

R. (2a) The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
In the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.

Gospel
Mt 5:38-42

Jesus said to his disciples:
“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 to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well.
Should anyone press you into service for one mile,
go with him for two miles.
Give to the one who asks of you,
and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

 

 

 Commentary

 

 Do we avoid giving offense in our ministry? We are exhorted to live with patient endurance-listen to the litany of what Paul says is to be expected if you work with the grace of God for others! There are graces abounding as well: the Holy Spirit, the power and the truth of God, and the gift of rejoicing as we share all this bounty with others. Do we really live as though we have nothing? But everything is ours!

Jesus wants everything from us, not just the surface response to commands. We are to live as he did: no resistance to injury-we are to live without violence, without harm to others, no matter what is done to us. What does this mean? It means to look the one who harms us in the eye, and then turn and let them see what they have done by putting oneself vulnerably before them. What others take, give them more so that they can see what they are doing. And live with generosity. How little we have learned-sadly!

 

 

 Today’s passage from Matthew, like many others in the Gospels, can too easily come across as hopelessly idealistic. Maybe Jesus could do what He’s telling us to do; maybe some really holy men and women; but not the ordinary Christian. We couldn’t do that.

Maybe “that” is not quite what we think it is.

If ever there was a Gospel passage that required knowledge of Jesus’ culture, this is surely it. Jesus is most certainly not asking his followers simply to be doormats. But Jesus is overwhelmingly concerned about the salvation of those who brutalize, exploit, or cheat. In fact, He cares as much for the person who strikes me as he does for me. As his follower, that’s what my concern has to be, too. Not, how do I get back at my attacker? How do I teach him a lesson? Our instinctive lashing back only hardens the attacker and perpetuates the cycle of violence ? draws us into the attacker’s mode of relating.

How can I “reach” the person who has just attacked me? Talking to him isn’t likely to help. What Jesus suggests is calculated (not guaranteed) to cause the attacker to step back and reflect. The responses described have been characterized as “creative non-violence”. Here’s why.

In first century Palestine, the right hand was for external relations, and the left for personal hygiene ? a useful custom, as a moment’s reflection will indicate. So, when you slapped someone, you used your right hand and struck the other person’s left cheek. The other cheek, the right one, if struck, would require the left hand ? an action that would break cultural taboos and bring shame on the attacker. So he wouldn’t do it. At very least, turning the other cheek may stop the fight. Also, it might even lead the attacker to reflect that, if it is shameful to hit me with his left hand, maybe it’s shameful to hit me at all.

Similarly, with the extra mile. The Roman occupation force in Palestine could randomly impound Jewish civilians to do labor for them ? but there was a limit. one mile was about it. More might get the legionnaire in trouble with his centurion. Maybe, if that happened, he might think twice about abusing his position.

Finally, within Jewish law, there was a provision that, if a man pledged his overcoat as security for a loan, the lender had to give it back to him at night; he would need it to keep warm. Here, a lender breaks his own laws and demands to keep the overcoat. Jesus says, give him your underclothes as well. There you stand, naked or nearly so, with a fellow child of Abraham holding back all your protection from the night’s cold. He would be shamed in the eyes of all. Maybe he would realize how wrong he was to demand the overcoat in the first place.

Cultural issues aside, in all three instances the cycle of violence is broken by the victim with the intent to save the abuser. Each is a parable, in its way, of Jesus’ own saving death.

A contemporary example, showing clearly that we can do what Jesus asks of us, comes from the experience a few years ago of a British soldier in Yemen, on a tour of duty with his battalion much like our own involvement in Afghanistan today. His commander gave orders not to shoot back in response to grenade attacks unless the troops were absolutely certain who threw the grenade. When people threw rocks or grenades, the soldiers were to stand their ground and not retaliate. Their response was not what the terrorists or the locals expected, and it did succeed in breaking the cycle of violence. The people of the immediate region themselves told the terrorists to go somewhere else. By not retaliating, the solders accomplished their peace-keeping mission where force could not have done it. It took great restraint, but it could be done; it was done.

The life we have received in baptism empowers us to do the same. Not a doormat, no, but creative concern for the eternal wellbeing of those who have given themselves over to selfishness, hatred, or abusiveness.

 

 by
Robert P. Heaney

John A. Creighton University Professor

 

 

 “But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil”


Jesus does something quite remarkable and unheard of. He transforms the law of mercy with grace and loving-kindness. Jesus also makes clear that there is no room for retaliation. We must not only avoid returning evil for evil, but we must seek the good of those who wish us ill. Do you accept insults, as Jesus did, with no resentment or malice? When you are compelled by others to do more than you think you deserve, do you insist on your rights, or do you respond with grace and cheerfulness?

What makes a Christian different from everyone else? What makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace?treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated?with loving-kindness and mercy. only the cross of  Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction.  Do you know the power of Christ’s redeeming love and mercy?

“O merciful God, fill our hearts, we pray, with the graces of your Holy Spirit; with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Teach us to love those who hate us; to pray for those who despitefully use us; that we may be the children of your love, our Father, who makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In adversity grant us grace to be patient; in prosperity keep us humble; may we guard the door of our lips; may we lightly esteem the pleasures of this world, and thirst after heavenly things; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Prayer of Anselm, 1033-1109)

Psalm 5:2-3,5-7

2 Hearken to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to thee do I pray.
3 O LORD, in the morning thou dost hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch.
5 The boastful may not stand before thy eyes; thou hatest all evildoers.
6 Thou destroyest those who speak lies; the LORD abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men.
7 But I through the abundance of thy steadfast love will enter thy house, I will worship toward thy holy temple  in the fear of thee. .

 

 

 DYING TO EVANGELIZE

'Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!' 2 Corinthians 6:2

'The harvest is good but laborers are scarce' (Mt 9:37). Over four billion people do not know Jesus. Moreover, many of the one-and-a-half billion people who have been baptized as Christians don't love Jesus with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Therefore, we have a monumental job in proclaiming the good news of Jesus' kingdom throughout the whole world (see Mt 24:14).

However, the Lord will multiply our efforts if we but give our all to Him and to world evangelization. We must be willing to do, say, or sacrifice anything to lead others to Christ. We should gladly suffer 'trials, difficulties, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, and riots...hard work, sleepless nights, and fastings' (2 Cor 6:4-5) to lead others to the Lord. We must even be willing to die so as to lead people to Christ.

Jesus said: 'I solemnly assure you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit' (Jn 12:24). Jesus died to save us. As His witnesses, we also must love people enough to be willing to die so as to lead them to salvation. Pray for the heart of Christ. Pray for crucified love. Pray for all 'to be saved and come to know the truth' (1 Tm 2:4).

Praise: Sr. Mary died working in the foreign missions, living out her faith in her Lord to the end (see Lk 21:19).
Prayer: Father, change my heart so that I will love others into Your kingdom.
Promise: 'But what I say to you is: offer no resistance to injury. When a person strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer him the other.' Mt 5:39

 

 

 In the first reading, Paul recounts how much he has suffered for the sake of the gospel.  He appeals to his readers to suffer anything for the Lord.   He proclaims that now is the day of salvation.  We should treat each day as if it may be our only day.   The gospel is a contrast between what was perceived as the Torah and Jesus new commands.   The Torah never meant that we are to exact justice of an “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.”   Rather, this was really a means of restricting vengeance.  But in the popular mind, it came to be a standard of behavior: Do to others as they do to you.  Jesus says that we are to turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, give cloak as well as coat.

 

 

?I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil?

Today, Jesus teaches us that forgiveness can overcome hate. Talion's law meant some progress, as it limited the wish to retaliate down to a fair proportion: do unto others as you would have them to, unto you; otherwise, it would be unfairness; this is what the aphorism ?eye for eye, tooth for tooth? actually means. It was, however, a limited progress, as Jesus Christ emphasizes in the Gospel the need that love overcomes revenge; this is how He expressed it when, on his Cross, He interceded for his executioners: ?Father, forgive them, they know not what they do? (Lk 23:34).

Nevertheless, truth should always accompany forgiveness. We do not just forgive because we feel helpless or gravely embarrassed. Quite often, the expression “to turn the other cheek” is misinterpreted as waiving our legitimate rights. Certainly, nothing of the sort. To turn the other cheek means to denounce and interpellate, with a peaceful but categorical gesture, whoever has done the injustice committed; it is like saying: ?You slapped me on the cheek, ¿now what, you want to slap me on the other too? do you really think you are behaving rightly??. Jesus replied serenely to the high priest's rude servant: ?If I said something wrong testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?? (Jn 18:23).

We can, therefore, see what our Christian behaviour must be: not to retaliate, but to stay firm; to be open to forgiveness but clearly say things. It is certainly not an easy task to accomplish, but it is the only way to put a stop to violence and show the world the Divine Grace it is lacking of, so often. St. Basil advises us: ?Believe me and you will forget the offences and insults you get from your fellow man. You will see how differently you will be named; he will be called angry and violent while you will be cited as meek and peaceful. one day, he will repent of his violence, but you will never regret your meekness?.