On Honesty

Gospel: Matthew 5: 33-37

How often do we hear people begin a sentence with "Truthfully" or "Honestly" or "I'm not gonna lie."  Does this mean that sentences we utter that do not begin with such qualifications are dishonesties?  What do we mean when we use such language?  We love to create elaborate language for our utterances.  Consider the time people spend writing wedding vows, or the angst of the politician deciding on what Bible upon which to take an oath - and yet the promise itself?

This is Jesus' point in today's Gospel portion.  Our speech must be simple, direct, and honest.  Let it be yes if we mean yes, and let it be no if we mean no.  If we are setting about to construct elaborate prose and poetry before either of those words it often means we are looking to obfuscate or equivocate.  If we spent as much time discerning the actual honesty of our answer - yes or no - as we do on creating the smokescreens for them, we would be much better off spiritually.

So, today is a day for us to put away the verbal filler and extensions.  It is a day for us to reflect on the meaning of our words and intentions, to take up the way of simple speech that is honest and direct.  When confronted with the temptations of the world - its power, wealth, and influence - let us be people of the no.  When invited by the Lord to extend mercy and love in the world, let us be people of the yes.  The Christian life is really that simple. 

Where the Heart Is

Gospel: Matthew 11: 25-30

Where your treasure is, there also is your heart.  Consider where the heart of Jesus is continually present throughout the Gospels.  It is in the care of the sick and lame.  It is in the liberation of those in the grip of demons.  It is in the feeding of people who are hungry.  These are the things that Jesus is about.  These are the things that Jesus talks about and sends out his disciples to do in the world.  The heart of Jesus is a heart for the poor and marginalized.  

In today's Gospel portion he tells an oppressed people that his labor and yoke are easy and light - this to a people weight down by oppressive work just to survive due to an oppressive political and religious system.  Jesus' burden is light because we are all encouraged to help one another with the burden.  It is not because of some cosmic magic that the burden lightens.  It is because each one of us takes up the burden of others, because we are in solidarity with one another caring for the common good of all.  

If we find life burdensome it is perhaps because Christians are not living this solidarity in the world, that they have preached self-interest and individualism in contradiction to the Gospel.  Consequently our world has less solidarity, less concern for the common good.  Today is a day for us to take up the burden of others, to lighten the load others bear.  Today is a day to recommit to solidarity with others and the common good.  Today is a day for our heart to beat in unison with the heart of the Lord Jesus. 

Offer Your Gift

Gospel: Matthew 5: 20-26

Modern Christianity has found all sorts of ways around the commandment of not killing others.  We first posit that the word is really 'murder' and not killing.  We then come to justify any and every act of warfare, capital punishment, abortion, and explain away the countless mass shootings and murders as collateral damage for our alleged right to own a gun.  We have created so many loopholes around this commandment that it no longer has any meaning or force in our world.

Now, consider how Jesus applies the Beatitudes to the commandment.  Not only are we not to physically kill another, but also we are not to harbor anger or use derogatory language against another person.  When our posture calls us to mercy, meekness, purity of heart, and peacemakers, the teaching of Jesus in today's Gospel portion rejects the loopholes we have placed around the fifth commandment, and it enjoins us to a greater discipline and duty to loving our neighbor than previously recorded.

The modern Christian has a choice to either follow the teaching of the Lord Jesus, or to continue to follow political and church leaders who harbor anger and use vitriolic language against others in justifying the countless acts of violence and killing they employ.  The Lord commands us to put away our sword; he rejects our desire to cast down fire upon a Samaritan town; he rebukes our use of the sword and heals our victim.  Today is a day for us to repent of our lust for killing and vitriol, and to follow the Prince of Peace.