Gospel: Matthew 5: 38 – 48
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 as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
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Homily
In the midst of the extremely high murder rate which Trinidad and Tobago has endured over the past years, it has become normal to hear increasing demands that the death penalty be implemented. In the midst of these demands, very often by the relatives of those who have been murdered, all too seldom do we hear a relative of a murder victim saying that he/she has forgiven the murderer. It is in this atmosphere that we read the Gospel passage given to us this weekend for our reflection.
The gospel passage ends with a frequently quoted but just as frequently misunderstood statement. “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” The issue comes down to our understanding of perfection. For almost all of us perfection means to be without fault. This may be true of many things. We can speak of the perfect flower, or a perfectly sown garment or a perfect gem but when we come to human behaviour can we speak of perfection in the sense of being faultless? I think not. We are all sons and daughters of Adam and Eve; we are all in need of salvation. No one can be called perfect in that sense. That is why so many of our recent popes went to confession every day.
To understand what Jesus means when he challenges his disciples to be as perfect as the Heavenly Father is, we have to look carefully at the context of this saying. The passage begins with a rejection of the old morality which called for equity in retribution (“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”) and urges the disciples to a way of life which looks beyond the harm and hurt sustained and seeks total generosity with all, good and bad alike. So the disciples are urged “If anyone should press you into service for one mile, go for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.” The disciples are urged to do even more however. They, contrary to what was told them in the past, must love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them that they may be children of their heavenly Father, who makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Because our heavenly Father forgives and continues to do good even to sinners, we, who consider ourselves his children, like all good children, must uphold the values which are the mark of God’s family. To do anything else is to be like those who are not of God’s family, the tax collectors and pagans. In this context therefore to “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” is to seek to imitate the actions of the Father who “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” Jesus, the Son par excellence, did this when on the cross he prayed for those who were crucifying him. The great saints of the Church have always prayed for those who were doing them wrong. You and I, sons and daughters of God, can do no less than follow the example of Jesus, the big brother. To live out of a spirit of vengeance which is what one of our learned SC’s urged us to do recently in regards to the death penalty is to be unworthy of such a great Father and of a big brother called Jesus
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God you call us to exceed ourselves in generosity. You call us to set a different standard, to live by values which are totally different to the values of this world. We want to be truly your Sons and daughters. Give us the grace to be like you, making your sun rise on the bad and the good, and causing rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Help us always to go the extra mile. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our Mother and our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever.
