Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mt. 5:17-37) “Loving Witnesses”

Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mt. 5:17-37) “Loving Witnesses”

        St. Paul was a learned man.  He began his life as a Pharisee.  He studied Jewish Theology.  He read Greek Philosophy.  Some of this knowledge was helpful to him as a missionary.  But he found that his most successful preaching revolved around proclaiming Christ crucified.  He speaks of the “Wisdom of the Cross” in the First Letter of the Corinthians today.  The cross is a paradox.  The cross makes no sense.  Jesus’ preaching reflects this paradox.  

        In a Jewish society hoping for military victories leading to liberation, Jesus preached radical non-violence.  In a religious tradition that cherished sacrifice as a human’s best offering to God, he taught that interpersonal reconciliation was worth more than any material offering to God.  In a society based on a caste system, where people in upper classes were valuable while the slaves who had the least influence were considered expendable, he said that using others as objects for self-gratification was tantamount to adultery.  In a culture that taught that physical health was a blessing from God, that taught that disability was a sign of divine disfavor, Jesus taught that being blind, even being mutilated was better than denigrating another person.

        When we hear the paradoxical preaching of Jesus, we wonder how anyone can ever live out the values he describes.  What is the motivation for doing so.  Some people are inspired by fear, believing that if they fail to apply what Jesus taught, they risk eternal damnation.  Other people try to spur themselves into virtue by competition.  “If I think I am a holier person than others, then I can feel good about myself.”  In the end these reasons for following Jesus don’t work to well.

        During this week when we celebrate marital love, we find it less than edifying for a married person to say I am faithful in my marriage because I am afraid of God’s wrath if I fail to keep my marriage vows.  Our hearts would also not be moved by a couple that would point out the immorality of others to justify why they stay married.  No, there must be a better reason to live out the values of the Sermon on the Mount. 

        The key might be found in the Book of the Prophet Hosea.  In Hosea 6:6 it says, “I want your constant love not sacrifices.  I would rather have my people befriend me rather than to burn sacrifices to me.”  Love is the most noble reason to live as Jesus does.  When we see a married couple who are sustained by love isn’t it reassuring?  It's a living, breathing example of the lifestyle Jesus is preaching about.  The beauty of covenantal love is affirmed. 

        When we know people who have such love, we are assured that love without measure is possible.  I once knew a couple named Rose and Joe.  The two of them were very prim and proper.  Both would come to Mass each Sunday.  She would be attired in a modest dress.  He would be wearing a shirt and tie.  When they could no longer go to Mass, I would periodically visit their home.  I was struck how they would always be dressed like they were about to go out to a nice restaurant.  I thought, at first, that they were a little stuffy.

But as I got to know them, I was impressed at how they treated each other.  Rose would always look at Joe with love.  He would return her gaze with a smile on his face.  Whenever they spoke about each other it was with respect.  Both were soft spoken.  The two of them seemed to be very aware of the image they projected to the world.  Both lived into their eighties.

        The inevitable happened.  Joe became ill with a terminal disease.  I was asked to go to hospital to anoint him.  When I went into the room, I was shocked to see Rose laying in the hospital bed with Joe.  Her arms were wrapped around him as he lay dying.  When I walked in there, no discomfort registered on Rose’s face.  She didn’t get out of the bed as I anointed Joe.  She had no need to be embarrassed.  She wasn’t.  Her eyes were only for Joe gazing on him with the love they had shared in their marriage for over 50 years.  A love that was based in gratitude to God for what they had together.

        Such is the sacrifice God desires.  Such is the charity that Jesus preached about.  When we see that love in the flesh it is an image of the divine.

Reflection Questions:

What motivates me to act morally?  What is the best reason for a virtuous life?

Have I had a married couple that has inspired me?  Who were they and how did they do this?

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Dear Parishioners,

        On March 14th and 15th, we will be having a preacher come to our parish to speak about the Eucharist.  We are in the midst of a Eucharistic revival so it seems like an important topic to address.  The latest statistics show that about 19% of Catholics attend Mass weekly.  This number has dropped 6% during the pandemic and has yet to recover.  We need to stop this trend.  Hopefully, provided spiritual inspiration will help with this. 

        Quite often people speak of Catholics misunderstanding the importance of the Eucharist as a reason for low Mass attendance.  I would say that it is more of a spiritual crisis than an intellectual crisis.  Our actions show what our values are.

        Daniel Berrigan, a Jesuit who was deeply committed to social justice, was asked once whether religious commitment was felt more in the head or the heart.  He said, surprisingly, it is felt in your butt.  By that he meant that where we spend our time is where our commitment is.  If our butt is at Sunday Mass, we are saying something about our love of the Lord.  Worship is an act of humility that speaks of loyalty to the Lord.

        On March 14th and 15th Fr. Peter Gaspeny of the Diocese of Saginaw will be here to present on the Eucharist.  This will be at 7 p.m. both nights.  The first night he will speak of Eucharist as related to our daily life.  How do we carry the Eucharistic experience out into the world? The second night he will be doing an explanation Mass.  What does or should each part of the Mass mean to us?

        I hope that everyone has time to spend with Fr. Gaspeny  so that we can deepen our commitment to the Eucharistic action.

        May Our Lady Intercede for us,

        Fr. Mark