February 27, 2022
Eighth Sunday Ordinary C
How do we hear the preaching of Jesus from last Sunday’s Gospel, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,” considering Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine? How can Ukrainians possibly turn the other check and surrender to military aggression? I stand removed from the conflict but amazed at the courage of Ukrainians putting up a fight against a superior military force. I am surprised at the courage of Russian citizens who are publicly protesting President Putin’s war and being arrested in Moscow. A man, a Ukrainian, interviewed on the street, said he was troubled not only by the conflict but by the hatred in his heart.
We are not alone in trying to understand the teaching of Jesus. Jesus and his disciples are living in their country occupied by a foreign power and army. Mistakenly, some disciples, the Zealots, are drawn to Jesus as the Messiah expecting he will lead them in combat to expel the Romans. They are disillusioned to hear his words about loving your enemies, not hating and nonviolence. In the Gospel of Luke, near the end before Jesus is arrested, some disciples offer to take up arms. Draw their swords. Jesus says, “Enough.”
Jesus is aware his preaching on love of enemy is almost incomprehensible. Jesus the preacher is also Jesus the Good Pastor or Good Shepherd. In our Gospel today Jesus invites his disciples to stay close to him. “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Both will fall into a pit. Jesus is our spiritual guide giving us insight into new ways of thinking and acting.
Is a disciple superior to the teacher? No! Jesus is telling his disciple to be docile and open to learn like students eager to absorb wisdom. Jesus is called “the Teacher.”
Jesus calls his disciples to task for seeing the faults and failures of others and oblivious to their own sin and weakness. “You see a splinter in a brother’s eye and do not perceive the beam in your own.” Jesus is teaching and practicing more than love of enemy he is commanding love and forgiveness of neighbor, brother, and sister.
“Every tree is known by its own fruit.” Public acts goodness come from the store of goodness in our hearts. As Jesus says in the Gospel according to St. John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” The analogies of good trees bearing good fruit and vine branches producing grapes are meaningful as parishes draw closer together within Families. We are not islands unto ourselves but always related faith communities united in Christ. Tom and Kris Di Scipio, our Parish Renewal Reps, will now invite us/you to take a diocesan wide survey (Disciple Marker Index) to guide our journey on the Road to Renewal.
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Seventh Sunday Ordinary C
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First Sunday of Lent
