Monday – 11th Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel – Matthew 5:38-42

War of Words?

Praying at the Western Wall, Jerusalem

 One of my all-time favorite holiday movies is Christmas Story.  Yes, I know- Christmas is still a long 6 months away but hear me out.  I always make sure to watch it at least once over the holiday season.  It is filled with one favorite scene after another.  But I want to focus on one today – sticking your tongue on that frozen flagpole!  What’s important here is what led up to that ridiculous stunt.  Dares!  I dare you! I double-dog dare you!  I triple-dog dare you! 

Back when I was in college in the seminary, we would have an award ceremony every Sunday evening after dinner.  Embarrassingly, it was for the best sarcastic comment of the week.  Whatever were we thinking?  An award for the most biting, biggest cut-down comment anyone could manage.  And believe me, we truly competed for this “honor” of belittling someone. 

At some point(s) in our lives, we have all experienced that ‘war of words’ or that remark that cut us to the heart.  Trading one insult after another and constantly trying to one-up our adversary.  It gets nastier and nastier, more personal and less civil.  All we seem to be interested in is winning an argument even if it means destroying a relationship or belittling a person beyond reason.  At some point, we probably even forget what the argument was all about.  And then we reach that point of no return!

There was nothing about justice in any of these confrontations and not attempt at real resolution, only winning at any cost.  There was no righting of a wrong; we were only interested in winning, no matter the cost. 

In today’s Gospel, we hear those familiar words “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”  Give as good as you get. Return violence for violence and insult for insult.  Whatever it takes to win!  But Jesus suggests another way.  Not violence and not simply walking away from the issue!  It’s about walking with the other person, whether it’s one mile or two.  It’s about standing strong in the face of violence and hatred. It’s about giving the other person a chance to think about what they’re doing, to consider the consequences of their actions.  It’s about standing up against issues like aggression, hatred, bigotry and racism and saying I am not going to fight according to your rules and I am not going to run away from the problem.

Stand up for what you believe in!  Be courageous!  Be forgiving!  Be strong!  Be Christ-like!

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