VII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
LOVE, NOT HATE OR RESENTMENT
By our Pastor, Fr. Carmelo Jiménez
The readings from last Sunday were paving the way for the reflection for this Sunday, especially when it said: “whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” (Mt 5:22) Well this Sunday the readings will invite us to reflect more at length in not killing in any of its forms.
Many years ago in the Zoo in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, there was a cage with a sign that read: “the most dangerous animal in the world.” We would all come closer and look. And at the back of the cage we could see a mirror. Of course. The animal that destroys the most is oneself, capable of destroying our loved ones and even ourselves.
Now I wonder: Does God laugh at us? He made us good, then sin entered our hearts, but in our nature there is love and goodness. However, we want to destroy everything that’s in our way, including our brothers and sisters. The worst part is that many times we destroy ourselves when we hate others and hold on to that hate. It’s like how we can eat tomatoes as much as we like and nothing bad happens, but if by bad luck a seed sticks to our intestines and stays there it makes acid and can eat away at the wall of the intestine. That’s what hate and anger is like for the person who carries them around. On the inside they eat away at the life and the joy of the person who carries them, destroying their happiness and aspirations and making their life dark and bitter. That is why the first reading recommends: “You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen, do not incur sin because of him. Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people.” (Lv 19:17-18)
When we have problems between family members it’s easy to argue, contradict each other, insult each other and refuse to speak to each other for a long time, hating each other for all that has happened. Many times we want to return to the law of Herod: “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” (Mt 5:38b) But God invites us to love and says: “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.” (Mt 5:44-45a) Saint Paul wrote what is commonly referred to as the Hymn of Love, part of which says: “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury.” (1 Cor 13: 4-5) Love is the fastest way to achieve sainthood. A love that is very concrete, with good works like Saint James tells us in his letter. A love that is manifested in what we do and what we say.
In a world that is so full of hate and resentment and thoughts of revenge at all levels (personal, between family members and between nations), we want to make God responsible for what happens to us and we blame him for our mistakes, because we haven’t known how to use our freedom. God gives us love, but many times we turn our backs on Him and even some say they hate Him. There are people who want nothing to do with religion and even though they say they believe in God, their lives are very far from what God asks of us. The only source of love is God. Only love is able to conquer hate, resentment and revenge. Saint Paul tells us in the second reading: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.” (1 Cor 3: 16-17) And so we are temples of God and ambassadors of love. Let us go to our source of love and fill ourselves up in order to bring love wherever we go and wherever we are. Let us fill ourselves with God’s love so that there is no space left in our hearts. In that way we will remain in love and distance ourselves from hate. Brother and sister, do not ever forget that God loves you with an infinite love. Go, follow Him, fill up with his love and take his love to those around you. Amen.