Weak God

Today’s Gospel Text: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; 41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you. Matt 5:38-42

Reflection: These above teaching of Jesus sounds so easy, but literally speaking so difficult to practice or at times even impossible if it is literally interpreted and sought to be practiced. 

Yet there have been a few who have been found perfect in practicing  it, yet, it is indeed a very high standard set by Jesus Christ for his followers.

The practice of these teachings of Jesus Christ has been rendered all the more difficult in our time when the very followers of Christ have become the instrument of such evil and make demands for justice and a corruption free atmosphere and on the other hand practice the very evil they preach against.

How can anyone not resist evil? They say and logically put forward a proposition for our times: to not resist evil is to promote evil; to not resist injustice is to promote injustice and to not resist corruption is to promote corruption, to not speak out against the evil is to promote evil.

So very true; does it not contradict what Jesus has to teach us?

It requires a serious reflection on the part of the Christians whether to follow the ideals of Christ Jesus, which to the world are no ideals but foolishness or to follow the idealism of the world which is always practiced and is still practiced and is logically and morally tenable in the name of justice, at least to the human eye. 

Hence many have raised a cry to achieve the idealistic and are striving to accomplish a kingdom of justice, peace and brotherhood.

It is still a choice before us: whether we listen to God, which in reality means to trust God to accomplish his justice and truth in his time or to trust man.  

As someone said: he is slow but never late!

St. Paul extolling the wisdom of God’s working praises the foolishness of God thus: “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Cor 1:25

Prayer:  Lord, we believe that no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, can avail against you, though the horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to you. (cfr. Prov 21:30-31)

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Tempt Not

Today’s Gospel Text:  And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."

5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 And the Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, 'Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. Luke 17:1-6

Reflection: How often we make attempts to be free from the daily temptations of sin. Likewise those who are serious about their eternal salvation pray often that they be free from all temptations and that they be even delivered from it.

They not only pray for themselves but also for others too so that the others too may not enter into the eternal fires of hell as mentioned by Jesus and his disciples concerning deliberate offenders.  

Yet we are never free from the many temptations of sin. They keep assailing us in different ways, exerting all kinds of pressures on us to sin and to be involved in wrongdoing.

Some of the sinful temptations are more subtle and we may not be aware of the deviousness of our sinful actions without the explicit help of the Holy Spirit, who has also been given us to convict us of our sins.

Jesus never assures us a cozy life free from the temptations of sin:

Every moment we could be assailed with temptation to the sin of pride, to run away from God, to dabble in occult, hurt, unforgiveness, to hold on to bitterness, all sorts of lustful desires,  to be stuck in the guilt of our own sins, etc.,  etc.

As long as the evil one exists so too the enticement and the deception to sin will exist.  It is his job to deceive us and rob us of the eternal reward of eternal crown assured to all who follow Christ faithfully.

Hence all who choose to tempt others are either consciously or inadvertently being instruments of the evil one,

The worst form of deception would come from those who will be in positions of authority in the Church and dishing out a teaching that is contrary to the faith:

“Woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.” (vss. 1c – 2)

Prayer: Lord, may I always remain your instrument of grace and life for others and may I always have the help of your Holy Spirit to move away from every deception of sin and wrongdoing.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us