Jun 16 2024 4 mins
Monday 11th week in ordinary time "Mt 5:38-42"
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you." In the old days, if someone struck you and you lost one of your teeth, you had the right to strike back. But you needed to calculate the strike well, for if two teeth fell, he may have had to strike you again to get even. You can guess how this could end: both toothless. To answer one injustice with another injustice only makes things worse. Children say sometimes: 'He started it!' Or even: 'It all started when he punched me back!' But Our Lord's lesson is infallible. We Christians have to be ready to receive injustice and never hit back. That's the end of the argument. Have you ever thought what would happen if, when they call you 'ugly' you smile and keep doing what you were doing? 'Nothing'. Exactly! And if, on the contrary, you find another name to call that person back...? This is the lesson, the infallible way to stop all arguments, discussions and fights: don't answer back. We can ask Jesus for the humility we need to be able to receive injustice and remain always calm and cheerful. Follow the example of the saints. One day a group of envious priests wrote a letter to the bishop asking for St John Mary Vianney, Curé of Ars, to be removed from the parish of Ars because he was ignorant and useless. The letter was sent round the parishes to be signed by all other priests who might want to sign it. By accident, the letter ended up on St John Mary's desk as well. He read it and saw the names and denunciations. What was his reaction? He signed his own name on it, stamped it and sent it off to the bishop! You can imagine how funny the bishop thought it was. Of course, he was never removed. He was humble enough to react to injustice calmly and cheerfully. Holy Mary, Mother of Good Counsel, teach me to always react meekly to any injustice I may suffer.
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you." In the old days, if someone struck you and you lost one of your teeth, you had the right to strike back. But you needed to calculate the strike well, for if two teeth fell, he may have had to strike you again to get even. You can guess how this could end: both toothless. To answer one injustice with another injustice only makes things worse. Children say sometimes: 'He started it!' Or even: 'It all started when he punched me back!' But Our Lord's lesson is infallible. We Christians have to be ready to receive injustice and never hit back. That's the end of the argument. Have you ever thought what would happen if, when they call you 'ugly' you smile and keep doing what you were doing? 'Nothing'. Exactly! And if, on the contrary, you find another name to call that person back...? This is the lesson, the infallible way to stop all arguments, discussions and fights: don't answer back. We can ask Jesus for the humility we need to be able to receive injustice and remain always calm and cheerful. Follow the example of the saints. One day a group of envious priests wrote a letter to the bishop asking for St John Mary Vianney, Curé of Ars, to be removed from the parish of Ars because he was ignorant and useless. The letter was sent round the parishes to be signed by all other priests who might want to sign it. By accident, the letter ended up on St John Mary's desk as well. He read it and saw the names and denunciations. What was his reaction? He signed his own name on it, stamped it and sent it off to the bishop! You can imagine how funny the bishop thought it was. Of course, he was never removed. He was humble enough to react to injustice calmly and cheerfully. Holy Mary, Mother of Good Counsel, teach me to always react meekly to any injustice I may suffer.