Gospel Reflection - Sixth Sunday of the Year (A) 16 February 2014

Sixth Sunday of the Year (A) 16 February 2014

Mt. 5:17-37

José Antonio Pagola 

Translated by Rev. Fr. Valentine de Souza 

No to war among us.

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Rev. Fr. Valentine

   The Jews spoke with pride of the Law of Moses. According to the tradition, God himself had given it to his people. It was the best gift they had received from him. That Law contained the will of the only true God. There you can find everything they needed to be faithful to God. 

   The Law is important for Jesus too, but already it does not occupy the central place. He lives and communicates a different experience: the kingdom of God is near; the Father wants to open up a way among us to build a more humane world. It is not enough to fulfill the Law of Moses. We need to open our lives to the Father and collaborate with him in making life more just and fraternal.

   That is why according to Jesus it is not enough to fulfill the law that enjoins: “Thou shalt not kill”. We need, besides, to eradicate aggressiveness from our lives, contempt for others, insults or revenge. He who does not kill fulfills the law, but if he does not free himself of violence, the God who seeks to build with us a more humane life does not yet reign in his heart.

   According to some observers, a language is spreading  that reflects the  growth of aggressiveness in present day society. Offensive insults meant only to humiliate, despise and hurt are increasingly frequent. Words are born of rejection, resentment, hatred or revenge.

   On the other hand, conversations are woven of unfair words that condemn others and sow suspicion: words spoken without love and without respect that poison the life of a community and do harm – words born almost always of irritation, meanness or small-mindedness.

   This is not something that is limited only to society. It is a serious problem in the present Church. Pope Francis suffers on seeing the divisions, conflicts and clashes of “Christians at war with other Christians”. It is a state of affairs so contrary to the Gospel that he has felt the need to address an urgent call to us: “No to war between us.”

   This is what the Pope says: “It hurts me to see how in some   Christian communities and even among consecrated persons, we approve of different forms of hatred, calumnies, defamation, revenge, jealousy, desires to impose one’s own ideas for the least reason, even resorting to persecution that seem to be an implacable witch hunt. Who are we going to evangelize with such behavior?”  The Pope wishes to work for a Church in which  “everyone can wonder how much we care for one another, how much we encourage, and support one another”.

“A Church of mutual love and concern”

this is the will of JESUS, let this be our active longing.