A RADICAL CALLING
There is no doubt that to follow Jesus faithfully requires us to make many radical decisions in our lives. The Sermon on the Mount, of which today’s Gospel is a part, is Matthew’s presentation of the New Law. The Old Law, the Ten Commandments, was received by Moses atop Mount Sinai. Matthew has Jesus climbing a mountain in order to proclaim the Beatitudes and these new understandings of how people are supposed to relate to one another.
In the text we read today, Jesus reminds us that seeking revenge is not an option for Christians. Forgiveness is the way to deal with disagreements and hurts. This teaching is merely an example where we see Jesus shift the focus from one’s self to the other person. It is too easy for morality to reduce itself to a self-focused reality when, if we want to live in the Spirit of the Gospel, we should be teaching ourselves how to live for others and not just ourselves. Generosity is a key foundation stone of the Gospel that Jesus proclaims. This truth is nowhere more evident in His choice to lay down His life on the cross.
To be a disciple of Jesus means that we have to embrace all sorts of painful experiences as we learn to follow His footsteps. Even Jesus is repulsed by this idea and has to struggle to accept that He will endure the cross in obedience to His Father’s will. The reason Jesus has to endure suffering is so that we who suffer would find both comfort and credibility in the promise of eternal life. If God just sat in heaven and told us not to worry about the struggles of life because all will be well in the end, there would be little credibility to His words. However, having endured suffering Himself, the words of Jesus are far more convincing in this respect. Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you understand suffering in you life? Can you see its redemptive value?
Holy Spirit, help me to see the redemptive value of suffering. Strengthen me to endure the trials in my life in order to follow Jesus more faithfully.
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