Don’t you think that Jesus is going a bit too far in today’s selection from the Sermon on the Mount? Last week he said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.” That sounded pretty extreme, but we know about the Mediterranean custom of exaggeration to make a point. Is that what he is also doing today when he advises turning the other cheek; volunteering to go the extra mile when pressed to one; or lending to anyone who asks?
If that weren’t enough, what about loving enemies and praying for persecutors? Then, to make it still more difficult, our selection closes with, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Will people in the pews just shrug their shoulders and figure Jesus is wildly impractical, or that what he says must have been applicable “back then” — but not in the 21st century? As a preacher I must admit I’d rather preach from a miracle story or a parable. I find them more accessible to my imagination. But the Sermon seems blunt and doesn’t leave much wiggle room. But, as we shall see, it does stir up the imagination.
First, we have to recognize that the one who is speaking, Jesus, is not just another ethical teacher prescribing a unique kind of moral dictates. He is much more than that. His teachings flow from his unique relationship with God. God first created humanity in God’s image and likeness, but we turned away and chose our own path. Which had gotten us into messes we can’t fix on our own. Jesus offers us a hope of building a new world and gives us his vision of that new world — through his healings, preaching and in the very specific teachings we hear in the Sermon.
In today’s passage Jesus invites us to change conflicts into opportunities for forgiveness. He is guiding us to co-create with God a world without violence. “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you….” When we face an opponent we ready ourselves for conflict — if not physical, then oral. Jesus is instructing us to change our world by turning an enemy into a friend. That’s risky business and leaves us vulnerable. But using force and coercion will never accomplish the realm Jesus has in mind when he speaks of the presence of the kingdom of heaven in our midst.
A glance to the first reading gives us an example of what Jesus said previously about “fulfilling the Law” (last week’s gospel reading). God, speaking to Moses, instructs the community, “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” Jesus says, “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Well, who can do that? We can’t on our own, but there is an invitation in the instructions from Leviticus and Jesus to surrender ourselves into God’s hands and let God’s life flow through us: the God who loves enemies and forgives over and over. What we can’t do, God can do through us.
I heard an interview with a rabbi. The discussion was about Cain and Abel. The interviewer asked, “Why didn’t God kill Cain for what he did?” The rabbi answered, “Because God stopped the cycle of violence.” (I heard that on the day we in Texas executed a woman. Is that what God had in mind as a way to stop the cycle of violence?) “So, be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Jesus is asking us to be children of our loving God who wants, as the rabbi said, to stop the cycle of violence — through us.
Jesus also says: turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, give your cloak to the one who wants to take you to court for your tunic. Well, no one expects that kind of behavior “in the real world.” Maybe that’s Jesus’ point — use your imaginations, do the unexpected to break down conflict and create the possibilities for a relationship.
Some background. A Roman soldier could force a peasant to carry his weapons a mile. The soldier would seem to have all the power and the peasant no dignity. But not if the peasant decides to carry the weapons an extra mile. If he can’t use force the soldier’s base of power is upset. He might take offense at the peasant and punish him. But, with the two now on the same level, a relationship is possible and the peasant has the dignity the oppressors denied their subjects.
Granted that turning the other cheek and going the extra mile are not strategies that always work. Jesus is offering these as alternative ways to respond when one meets force or coercion. He suggests that doing the unexpected just might break the cycle of violence between one doing the offense and the offended. There is more than one way to respond in conflict situations. We can reciprocate with more violence, or use our imaginations to try other, more relationship-building possibilities.
Since Jesus was addressing the poor, who were subjected to humiliation, his encouragement to a kind of creative response would also help free people from a servile mentality and give them a dignity they might never have had. With dignity and freedom people could act as if a new age had arrived — and with Jesus it had. Remember, he called “blessed” those who had nothing.
I said I would rather preach from parables or miracles stories because they engage my imagination. When Jesus told parables he was addressing the imagination of his hearers. That is what he may be doing in the Sermon on the Mount — but in a different way. He is suggesting we imagine a world without violence. But not just wishing such a world were possible, but actually doing something to make it a reality. He is inviting us into God’s world; inviting us to be as “perfect” as God, by creating with God a new violence-free world.
We are living in a world where news of violence comes to us each day. Jesus is not advising us to do nothing, but to say and do something: make a response, take action to defuse violence. By imagining a non-violent world and then putting his teachings into action, we will probably feel like exiles in our own land. From biblical times believers have often experienced their values conflicting with the world’s. Leviticus calls for efforts to live the faith the community professes in a holy God by loving as God loves — forgoing hatred, caring for one another and releasing grudges. And Leviticus makes it very clear that it has the authority of God behind its dictates: “I am the Lord.”
Earlier in the gospel Jesus proclaimed the arrival of the kingdom of heaven. The gift, or grace, of the kingdom makes living the demands of the Sermon possible, not merely in a servile way, but with deep joy. Jesus is called Emmanuel, “God with us, in Matthew’s gospel and, in the last verse of the gospel he tells us, “Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world.” The resurrected Christ makes it possible for us to live in word and action the love we have received from our God through Christ.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
“There’s no greater invitation to love than loving first.” ( St. Augustine )
A big fight broke out in the school yard between two third graders. A horde of students gathered around as the two went at it. Teachers quickly descended on the scene to separate the two young pugilists. “Who started this?” the teacher who finally broke it up demanded to know. Wiping his bloody nose, one of the two said, “It all started when he hit me back!”
What’s Christian Ethics? According to the Gospel and Christ’s Sermon on the Mount ( Matthew ) or sermon on the plain ( Luke ), “reciprocity” is not what Christ preached. Doing good to those who love us is a “tit for tat” sort of ethics which cannot be called Christian; even sinners can meet these demands. The Christian formula goes beyond “reciprocity” or “respect” – “love your enemies”, “do good to those who hate you”, etc. The second thing that sets Christian ethics apart is the “extra thing”: offering one’s shirt as well as one’s coat; going the extra mile, giving the extra hour of service, forgiving one who has insulted me, etc.
Dostoievski says: “Everyone in the world is responsible for everyone else.” Then he accepts this personally by continuing: “And I more than anyone else.” We cannot approach God directly, but through others, we need recommendations. In Liberation Theology, theologian Fr. Gutierrez says that God blocks our access to himself by placing others, especially the poor, between God and us.” The founder of Mrs. Fields cookies said very well: “Good enough never is.”
The Law of Torah or Tallion, was buried by Christ in a most eloquent and dramatic way. “Vengeance” was at the heart of the Law in the times before Christ: “to get even”; tit for tat; vengeance…You cross me and I’ll cross you; an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. These were very strict legal practices and rules: a life for a life, a hand for a hand, a burn for a burn, a stroke for a stroke…Vengeance was the rule not only with the enemies of Israel but also within the people of Israel. Then Christ comes along: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you…”; ”You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High.”
When you think about “vengeance or revenge”… you realize the enormous amount of time, effort invested…An eye for an eye….a tooth for a tooth…The only winners are the eye doctors and the dentists. The Rabbis forbade personal vengeance on fellow-Israelites, but not on non-Israelites. Jesus came and gave a flat “No!” “Vengeance is not sweet but sour!”
A university professor gave an opportunity to evaluate his course at the end of the semester. One student said, “I liked the course, but I feel very strongly that the professor puts too much responsibility for learning on the students.” We like what Christ teaches, but, at times, we act as though he has put too much responsibility on us.
A certain couple had been married fifty-one years and still acted like newly-weds. The husband was in poor health, a shut-in. The couple’s pastor describes what he calls “one of my favorite shut-in’s visits”…The husband laboriously shuffled across the room and sat down next to me. The wife sat down as close as possible to him on the arm of his chair.
I asked them how they had managed to sustain their beautiful relationship for more than fifty-one years. The dear old man looked up at me as though surprised to hear that they had been married that long. Then he said, “Emma and I decided the day we got married not to get angry with each other at the same time.”
“Never pay back one wrong for another, or an angry word with another one; instead pay back with a blessing. That is what you are called to do so that you inherit a blessing yourself.” ( St. Peter )
The story is told of two beggars standing at the gate of a mansion house. They are seeking to enter and beg alms. In front of the gate is a huge, ferocious, growling watchdog. The two beggars hesitate, fearful of what the dog might do. “Go ahead,” one encourages the other. “See there, the dog is barking but he is also wagging his tail. Go on in” The other replies, “That’s my problem. I don’t know which end to believe.”
( MARTIN LUTHER KING ) “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.”
“Certainly these are great words, words lifted to cosmic proportions. And over the centuries, many persons have argued that this is an extremely difficult command. Many would go so far as to say that it just isn’t possible to move out into the actual practice of this glorious command. They would go on to say that this is just additional proof that Jesus was an impractical idealist who never quite came down to earth. So the arguments abound. But far from being an impractical idealist, Jesus has become the practical realist. The words of this text glitter in our eyes with a new urgency. Far from being the pious injunction of a utopian dreamer, this command is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. Yes, it is love that will save our world and our civilization, love even for enemies.”
“Now first let us deal with this question, which is the practical question: How do you go about loving your enemies? I think the first thing is this: In order to love your enemies, you must begin by analyzing self. And I’m sure that seems strange to you, that I start out telling you this morning that you love your enemies by beginning with a look at self. It seems to me that that is the first and foremost way to come to an adequate discovery to the how of this situation.”
“Now, I’m aware of the fact that some people will not like you, not because of something you have done to them, but they just won’t like you. I’m quite aware of that. Some people aren’t going to like the way you walk; some people aren’t going to like the way you talk. Some people aren’t going to like you because you can do your job better than they can do theirs. Some people aren’t going to like you because other people like you, and because you’re popular, and because you’re well-liked, they aren’t going to like you. “
“And this is what Jesus means when he said: “How is it that you can see the mote in your brother’s eye and not see the beam in your own eye?”
“A second thing that an individual must do in seeking to love his enemy is to discover the element of good in his enemy, and every time you begin to hate that person and think of hating that person, realize that there is some good there and look at those good points which will over-balance the bad points.
LOVE THOSE WHO DO HARM TO US
The call to love is certainly captivating. We are sure that many of those listening to Jesus were pleased by his invitation to open friendship and generosity towards all. But, surely, they did not expect that he would end up inviting them to love their enemies.
Only a mad man could speak so convincingly about such absurd and unheard of
proposition: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…Forgive them seventy times seven times.” Was Jesus aware of what he was saying? Is that really what God wants us to do?
People listening to Jesus must have been shocked. Doesn’t Jesus know that they are all subject to Rome? Had he forgotten about all the havoc done to them by their legions? Did Jesus know about the exploitation of their farmers in Galilee, totally defenceless against the abuse of powerful landowners? How could he speak of forgiveness towards such enemies who deserved only their hatred and revenge?
Jesus is not talking to them arbitrarily. His appeal comes from his own knowledge of God. Our Father is not revengeful but compassionate. He does not seek revenge and knows no hatred. God is unconditionally loving towards all: “He makes the sun rise over the good and the evil, and sends the rain to the just and the unjust.” He does not discriminate anyone. His love is not reserved only for those who are faithful to Him. His love is open to everyone.
It is such God who does not exclude anyone from his love who is inviting us all to live like him. In short, such is Jesus’ invitation to us. “Be like God. Have no enemies, not even those who hate you. Love one another so that you will be worthy of your Father in heaven.”
Jesus is not speaking about showing the affection and sentiments that we share with people who are closest to us. Love toward our enemies simply means that we don’t harbour any revenge, cause them no harm and wish them no evil. Still more, we must wish only good for them. Treat them the way we want to be treated by them.
Is it really possible to love our enemies? Jesus is not imposing a universal law. He is inviting his followers to be more and more like God so that the hatred and enmity among His children disappears. Only those who keep trying to become like Jesus can
show such love towards their enemies.
Inspired by Him, we will learn to harbour hatred towards no one, do away with resentment and wish good to all. Jesus invites us to “pray for those who persecute us;”
by so doing, our hearts will become like his. Loving towards those who do harm to us
is not easy, but it is the best way to imitate Him who died praying for those who had crucified him: “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”
A RETURN LOVE FOR HATRED
According to Clement of Alexandria, Christian ethics could be explained this way: “a Christian can remain being a good Greek and must behave like a good Greek, but with a totally different spirit.” We are often asked the same question by people around us, both as an affirmation or as a clarification: isn’t it true that there are non Christians who can be better persons than some believers in Jesus Christ? That is possible, because there are many professed Christians who do not reflect the style and behaviour, the values and attitudes of our Lord.
Actually, the Gospel itself speaks about this situation. Jesus said on several occasions that he had not come to abolish the Law of his people. Jesus showed reverence and respect for Moses and the prophets. He followed the precepts and abided by the moral traditions of the Law.
Jesus, however, knew that one could follow the commandments and still remain far from what the Law expected. Jesus wanted to discover the ultimate purpose of the Law. According to him, morality could be summarized in two precepts: love of God ( Deuteronomy ) and love of neighbour, as expressed in the book of Leviticus.
The love of neighbour, of course, should not be reduced to any selfish or stingy kind of preference. We can’t love others simply because they are kind to us. Even the pagans who don’t know God can show such kindness and manners to us. We ought to love in a way that makes others loving in return. Our love must be totally gratuitous. That is how God has loved us.
Hating our enemies is devilish. Hatred towards our enemies may be considered “normal” by many. Love for our friends seems the right thing. Loving one’s enemies is divine. In fact, that is what God does. And that is what those who want to reflect God’s image must try to do.
Jesus’ discourse in this gospel is not merely a moral teaching. It is, first of all, an important part of his revelation of God the Father. He is talking to us, but, most importantly, he speaks about God. And, finally, he is inviting us to contemplate and thank God for his generosity.
“Love your enemies.” That is the first step that Jesus expects from us, even though it might appear to be the ultimate and most difficult to us. We must stop considering an “enemy” someone who should be a “neighbour” to us.
“Do good to those who hate you.” It is not enough purifying our sentiments. We must make them visible with concrete gestures that show and reveal our goodness. Love generates gestures, and it is those gestures that help
generate our love.
“Pray for those who persecute and calumniate you.” Again, it is not enough
to reveal outward signs. That is also what purely humanitarian agencies do. We must also pray for our enemies. We must return “blessings” for “curses”.