Wellspring of the Gospel

 

Year A: 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 First Reading:Leviticus 19: 1-2, 17-18

The First Reading helps to make some sense of Jesus’ words in the Gospel: be perfect. No-one can claim to be holy - or perfect - but it is something we can try to attain.

One of the first things - according to Leviticus - is to eliminate hatred from our hearts. Where possible, we are to tell our neighbour what they have done to hurt us - and, of course, hope that things can be put right. Sometimes, though,  it is not possible to tell someone what they have done or we may tell them and find that we still get nowhere - they are not sorry - nor do they want reconciliation.

The choice is then - what do we do about it?

We can take the option of brooding resentment - of plotting revenge. We can bear a grudge and can even extend that hatred to their children - their friends. We can try to force mutual friends into making choices - are you my friend or theirs? We can expend a huge amount of valuable energy on hatred and wanting to get our own back.

However, to behave in that way does look very much like the behaviour of spoilt children! We may make it sound very reasonable - but, if we stand back and look at it from the outsider’s point of view, we can see that it does not carry the mark of mature thinking or acting.

Also - we are increasing the weight of sin with layer upon layer of anger and recrimination. We cannot blame the one who hurt us for any more than they did originally. They may have made us angry and upset - but it is our choice whether we stay that way.

This is what is meant by “taking a sin on ourselves”. It is human to be hurt and upset when we have been badly treated and this is not sinful at all. What is sinful is when we allow that hurt to fester within us to the point that it begins to damage us - spiritually - but also, in many cases, physically.

By releasing our hearts from righteous anger before it becomes unrighteous hatred, we liberate ourselves too - we leave the sin at the door of the one who has hurt us - and move on...

What does it mean for me?

Waterlily

Is there some hurt in danger of festering within you? How can you allow yourself to be liberated from it?

Text © 2007 Wellspring

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