Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Leviticus 1-18 Corinthians 3:16-23 Matthew 5:38-48
In the rush to always hold ‘Sacred’ Scripture in such high regard, we sometimes forget that woven within these ‘sacred’ passages are the remembered and emerging rules of conduct for human society from 10’s of thousands of years ago. Everything from being instructed on not planting two types of crops in a single field to limiting the spread of disease by ostracizing the afflicted to sanitary guidelines for human hygiene to how to live in community with each other, all are nestled in assorted Scriptural passages.
This weekend we are presented with reminders that living and sharing space with one another is not always as easy as might be presumed…sometimes we need basic instructions. In Leviticus we are cautioned about not holding hatred for people in our heart….even if someone is in need of correction (or imprisonment) to not allow the circumstances to become all encompassing and all consuming. We hear the admonition of ‘love your neighbor as yourself’…which of course can either be wise or detrimental depending on whether a person has a healthy or negative self-esteem/awareness.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus ups the ante for personal conduct…reminding us that with discipleship comes higher expectation. While the old law advocated ‘an eye for an eye’…sort of a basic even-steven exchange of justice, Jesus urges what still strikes many people as ridiculous guidance: ‘offer no resistance to one who is evil; when someone strikes you on one cheek offer them the other; love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you; etc. etc.’ It is hard to weigh these divine instructions into our civil culture where crime necessitates police forces, where countries have armies to defend themselves and the legal system is kept humming with ample sometimes serious-sometimes frivolous lawsuits.
Are we to ignore crime and simply pay no attention to injustice? Are we not to recognize the darkness of human passions and look after each other? Indeed, while these teachings by Jesus can be unsettling, at their core they are an urgent reminder that we are all in this together…that we cannot simply dismiss people as not meriting care and attention. Recognizing that even the criminals and despicable ones amongst us are God’s children…can be a startling…and unpleasant reminder that God does not think or act as we do….nor as we wish he would. Rather than lowering himself to our standards, Jesus calls us to elevate ourselves to his…and boy is that hard. And so, this weekend we are thrown back into the soup of social-awareness; have we forgotten that ‘we are all in this together’? Have we chosen the easy path of writing off people? Have we presumed that our likes and dislikes are God’s likes and dislikes? Have we stopped even trying to ‘be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect?’
Thank you for joining with our Corpus Christi family as we gather for Mass. With Valentine’s Day now behind us, February inches along to its rapid demise…the Food Fair is coming up in early March as are other events and activities advertised in the Bulletin. Please take a copy with you when you depart. Have you made your PSA (Pastoral Services Appeal) pledge yet? Corpus Christi thrives when EVERY member of our community claims responsibility for moving us forward. Please…don’t delay, make your 10-month pledge and experience the pride of ownership! Please remember, next weekend is the FINAL WEEKEND of the month and thus will be our monthly food collection opportunity on behalf of South County Outreach Food Bank. Please bring your non-perishable food items with you and place them in the hamper on the courtyard. Meanwhile, on this President’s Weekend, enjoy a bit of leisure and remember, you are loved. FKB
