7th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Lk 6:27-38) “Casting Stones”
We hear no more challenging words from Jesus than the ones we read today in the Gospel of Luke. These words are words we need to consider. Because, presently, there is so much discord in our world that it is hard to feel at peace.
An apocryphal story is told about Jesus. One day our Lord was walking down the road. Some people who didn’t like Jesus picked up stones. And then they threw them at him. Jesus called out to them saying, “God bless you.” His disciples got mad at him. “Lord how can you bless those who stone you?” Jesus replied, “I can only give to others what I have in my purse.” Jesus didn’t carry rocks in his pocket to throw back at his critics. His purse contained other things.
The story seems to describe a Jesus who is incredibly naïve. Some might say that he was a wimp. But the story is a perfect reflection of what we hear Jesus preach in his Sermon on the Plain. “Turn the other cheek,” Jesus says. “Love your enemies and do good to them.” “Forgive and you will be forgiven.” “Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.” The teachings of Jesus which describe how we are to react to criticism, hostility, verbal violence, physical altercations, bombard us with alternatives to what the world would say. And how do we react to them? We might want to reach into our pocket to throw rocks when we are attacked. We think, Lord, what you ask is unrealistic.
Human beings often make decisions based on what is being modeled for us. We tend to follow the lead of the authority figures in our lives. We don’t hear too many people in power quoting Jesus right now. We really don’t hear too many people citing any wisdom figures. We have been taught that the only authority that has any merit is the authority that lies within ourselves. We are taught to act according to how we feel. Unfortunately, the predominant feelings in our world today are fear and anger.
A lot of decisions that are made are based on rage. But if we react with fury, bad things happen. What transpires when decisions are made in anger? Usually, our decisions are made too quickly. Secondly, the judgements we make are excessive. Finally, the effects of our angry responses have long-lasting consequences. How many of us have been wounded by someone’s insulting words or actions? We then carry the pain of those moments for years. Right now, the stance our world operates out of is that everyone is a victim. The actions people take flow out of that fury. But is making choices based on rage a good thing?
We have two ways that we can make decisions. One way is that we can just react. Someone who just reacts in difficult situations might seem like a strong person. Such a person might seem decisive. A person who just reacts might say, “I never second guess myself. I decide and don’t look back.” Such people run over other people. Quite often everyone is left to deal with the destruction “reactionary people” cause.
The other way we can make decisions is to choose carefully what we will do. When we patiently respond, we take time to think about what the ramifications are going to be regarding our action. If we want to understand better, we could consider how adolescents make decisions versus how a person who is mature decides. The adolescent brain, science shows, isn’t fully developed. We who are older might remember that as teenagers we did some dangerous things. Perhaps we think about it today saying, “I was lucky I didn’t hurt myself or someone else.” Mature people slow down to think and to pray before they act. Spiritual masters speak of engaging in discernment.
Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain reflects wisdom that comes from a person who is fully mature. Jesus follows up his words with concrete actions. A few chapters after his sermon in the Gospel of Luke we read of Jesus traveling through Samaria. The Samaritans don’t offer him hospitality, but they offer hostility because he is of a different race. He is considered a foreigner. The Apostles James and John ask Jesus if he wants them to call down fire on the Samaritans for this insult. Jesus reprimands them. He then moves on to another town.
We remember today that Jesus didn’t carry stones in his purse to hurl at others. He carried; forgiveness, mercy, charity, patience, and love of neighbor; in his purse. He asks us to carry these same things away from this Eucharistic table into a waiting world. Most of us feel we need to walk a different path than the one we have been travelling on. Will it be the way of reaction? Or will we implement the wisdom of Jesus?