THURSDAY JUNE 13, 2024
THURSDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
ST ANTHONY OF PADUA, P.D (Memorial)
1 Kings 18:41-46
Matthew 6:20-26
A NEW MORAL STANDARD IN CHRIST
Accepting to be a follower of Christ demands newness and greater responsibilities. It is a new standard of living that goes over and above the old laws and dispensation. This is the ideals that Jesus passes to his disciples and those intending to be with him as his disciples and followers.
Jesus compares the morality and religiosity of the scribes and Pharisees as the stepping point and the beginning of the Christian moral and ethical standards expected of his followers. Going above them is the key and he noted for us what he expects us to do in practical terms.
The sermon on the mount which Jesus preached to his new believers speaks primarily of this new relationship with God and neighbour that all believers must pursue. It is a relationship that excuses the faults and sins of others against us. It is a relationship that forgives and forgets others misgivings towards us. It is a relationship that is based on genuine love of God and neighbours.
Jesus offers us the ingredients that fosters this love and relationship. It is precisely prized over and above offerings and thanksgiving that we present to God. Relationship with people must be established, maintained and fostered first before making sacrifices to God.
In this relationship with others, hurts are accommodated and accepted, betrayal are forgiven, grudges are forgiven and the heart is not allowed to hold anything against anyone.
Again, we must not be found wanting either in spoken words, or hatred, not even in words of insult, neglect of others, or in actions as being angry and annoyed with people. Saint Paul cautions us against allowing our anger to last till sunset. By doing so we give room to the devil to get hold of us and use us as instrument to propagate hatred. So anger which is normal human emotion must be rightly appropriated and controlled.
As Elijah prayed that the rain falls after three years of drought and it happened as we read in the first reading, we are also urged to be the same for everyone irrespective of anything, hurts, anger and bad feelings one would have received from other people.
The reality is that People must upset us, hurt our feelings, abuse us, even betray, humiliate and disrespect us in varied and many ways. We must handle such with the new moral and ethical code of the Christians by always forgiving and forgetting, accommodating and being of service to them, and being at peace with everyone without prejudice to their behaviour against us.
Our motive must be to do the will of God, to be righteous and honest in the exercise of our faith and living in love with all men and women of our time. So, this calls for sacrifice and compassion for all. Simply put, this is the greatest responsibility of the new life and our calling in Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Father, in your call to follow your Son Jesus Christ, the battle for righteous living rages in our world and our hearts. As we run this race of life, keep us to conform, bless us with docile spirit and mind, to forgive hurts, to accommodate others and to live in peace and harmony with others. May we never hold any grudges with anyone, or live in hatred or nursing anger and discontentment against anyone. Bless us with peace of mind, generosity of heart and grace to overcome in this life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
