Dear friend,
A sad characteristic of our age is that we are becoming an angry aggressive generation. We see things going wrong around us but cannot figure out what needs to be done and so we flare up against society, our colleagues and even our own people. A common response seems to be expressing our anger when things or people do not live up to our expectations. Believers cannot approach God with anger in their hearts. Reconciliation and faith must go together. May our God-encounter make us more open to living in peace and harmony with all. Fr. Jude
Sunday Reflections: Sixth Sunday- "Let go of anger! Be reconciled with your brother first before going to the Lord!" 16-Feb-2014
In the first reading from the Book of Sirach, Ben Sira tackles the issue of human freedom and personal freedom trying to reconcile them with God's sovereign will. He stresses that men and women bear responsibility for the morality of their actions: "If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. Each person can choose life or death, whichever one chooses, that will be given." God does not force us to keep his commandments. Our observance of God's law should be an outcome of a free choice.
Making choices out of love
Once Baal Shen, a Jewish Rabbi had a dream. He was in heaven. He saw two empty seats and asked the angel for whom they were reserved. The angel told him one was for him and the other was for his companion if he used his intelligence. Baal Shen went to see his companion and found that although he was a Jew, he was not following the Jewish laws. He was a very happy man with a lovely family. The Rabbi asked him why he was not following the Jewish law. He said that he was very happy that he loved God and his neighbour. Then Baal Shen visited hell and found two empty seats there too. The devil told him one seat was for him and the other was for his companion. Baal Shen then went to his companion and found that he was a strict Jew who kept all the external laws but he and his family were not happy. The Rabbi told him to change but he was not ready to change as he considered himself righteous for observing all the laws. From this Baal Shen concluded that truly good and happy people are righteous. But not all the righteous are good and happy. We can be true to our calling as Christians if in addition to our love for God and neighbour we also attempt to keep the spirit of the law we practice, intact. - 'The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.'
Elias Dias in 'Divine Stories for Families'
In today's gospel reading from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shows the way to life. This instruction is expressed by means of six antithetical statements that begin with some variations of the formula: 'You have heard that it was said' and conclude with Jesus' new teaching. "But I say to you." Several of these sayings deepen the aim of a number of the ten commandments. Jesus forbids not only killing and adultery but seething anger that can lead to murder and lustful looks which amount to adultery in the heart. Other sayings of Jesus do away with divinely permitted practices of the Old Testament. Jesus claims the right to interpret divine commandments in a new way inaugurating the new era of the kingdom. The final two of the six 'antithesis' as they have been called, summon Jesus' followers to a non-retaliatory way of life, loving even one’s enemies. Jesus has been categorized paradoxically as law-abiding, as one who observed the law, as well as a law-breaker, who challenged and rebelled against the law. In principle, Jesus adhered to the Torah and was zealous about God's commandments. Yet, in his ministry, Jesus stressed what he called 'the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.' 'Love of one's enemies' comes as the climax of a set of instructions that highlights the underlying motif of love of God and neighbour, which are integral features of the same commandment. Anger can have no place in the life of a faith person. Anger enters into the issue of how one worships. Jesus stresses the dignity of the human person and so one has to treat every human being with respect and care, never with anger. In one's speech and actions towards others love demands truthfulness and kindness. "Let your word be 'Yes' if 'Yes' or 'No' if 'No'."
Meaning what we say?
Several years ago, William F Merton of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, wrote to Readers Digest to tell of a memorable argument he had with his wife. The argument was well underway as they left for a party one evening. Once they were in the car, words were flying. The area they were driving through was not the best, so they stopped arguing just long enough to lock the doors. Then they started again. Merton's wife had really worked up a storm and after a few choice words from him, she shouted, "Stop the car and let me out!" Merton pulled over to the kerb. His wife unlocked the door and got out, but then looked around and got back in again. Looking a bit sheepish she said, "Take me to a better neighbourhood." -How seriously do we take Jesus' warning that our thoughts can be as important, or more important than our deeds?
Gerard Miller in 'Stories for all Seasons'
Be careful that anger does not destroy …
Two great men were born in the year 1564. One man, Shakespeare lived up to the age of fifty two and became the greatest dramatist of the English language. The other, Christopher Marlow, perished midway in his life, at the age of twenty-nine, because of his anger. Christopher Marlow wrote some of the best tragic plays at a very young age. One of his immortal plays is 'The Tragic history of Dr. Faustus.' Had he lived longer, he probably would have become greater than Shakespeare. He was a man given to anger. He picked up a quarrel with a man in a tavern, who challenged him to a sword fight unto death. They both fought, and Christopher Marlow was mortally wounded and later succumbed to his injuries. A great promise was tragically terminated because of anger. Holy Scripture says, "Be angry, but do not sin. (Eph. 4: 26) What is wrong is the anger that is selfish, harmful and uncontrolled. This we must banish from our lives.
John Rose in 'John's Sunday Homilies'
Be reconciled first
Little Johnny had a quarrel with his younger brother, Willie. Before he said his night prayers, Johnny's mother said to him, "Now I want you to forgive your brother." But Johnny was not in a forgiving mood. "No, I won't forgive him." He said. Mother tried persuasions of every motherly variety, but nothing worked. Finally, she said, "What if your brother were to die tonight? How would you feel if you knew you hadn't forgiven him?" Johnny gave in, or so it seemed. "All right, I forgive him." He said, "but if he's alive in the morning, I'll get even with him." Today's gospel invites us to be reconciled with our brothers and sisters first, before we come to him.
John Pichappilly in 'The Table of the Word'
May our deeds not our words, show how truly Christian we are!
Fr. Jude Botelho
PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections.|
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