Matthew 5: 20-26 (NRSV)
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Blog Reflection
Albert Holtz, O.S.B., in Pilgrim Road: A Benedictine Journey Through Lent on pages 37-40 wrote for today's reflection about his tour of West and East Berlin near the now torn down Berlin Wall. He writes of seeing the wall as more than just a separation between East and West. He views the wall as something that separated families that were related. If someone was on the West side and their loved one was on the East, they were separated from each other. The walls that separate one from another, is not a good thing.
In his reflection, he writes about the walls that we so often create between each other in our personal relationships. So often a comment made, however, meaningless the intention can wound in ways that human words find difficult to explain. It is for this reason that St. Benedict does not like laughter. Benedict denounces laughter in Chapter 4 of his Rule and as the 10th step of humility in Chapter 7.
Sr. Joan Chittister in The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century about the 10th step of humility writes the following:
Benedict does not forbid humor. On the contrary, Benedict is insisting that we take our humor very seriously. Everything we laugh at is not funny. Some things we laugh at are, in fact, very tragic and need to be confronted. Ethnic jokes are not funny. Sexist jokes are not funny. The handicaps of suffering people are not funny. Pornography and pomposity and shrieking, mindless noise is not funny. Derision is not funny, sneers and snide remarks, no matter how witty, how pointed, how clever, how cutting, are not funny (pages 94,95).
There is a tendency to respond to Sr. Joan & Benedict with the usual: "Lighten up!" How about this response: Learn to love your neighbor with a heartfelt and sincere love, not one based on falsehoods and jokes.
The fact is in human life, words and laughter carry with them serious consequences for the person on the other end. Actions for the sake of humiliating another person to the point where the heart and soul are totally disregarded, and another person's dignity is on the chopping block, are anything but funny.
As lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people, we know all too well the cruel jokes made at our expense. Any time a joke is made about our sexuality, while using the words "fag" or "dyke", carry with them the serious intention degradation. Jokes made about another person's race, religion, choice of partner(s), even jokes often made towards a transgender person about how bad their surgery turned out. No! Not a good thing to do.
Jokes are often made as a means of dividing people who are already separated enough. They can build up resentment. They are not ways of lowering someone else's pride as much, as they are a denigration of one's dignity. Either through degrading humor or the ugliness of bias, Jesus challenges us against tearing others down. Jesus' life and ministry was one of united people of diverse groups, not creating new divisions. God desires to help humankind experience that "peace which the world cannot give" between all of us. With hands and hearts extended to the "least" among us.
At the Cross, Jesus tore down all of the walls of separation when he offered his life out of love for all of us. He shed his blood to forgive our sins, and the bind our hearts in the love of God that was poured out with nothing held back. Jesus was willing to become the slave to all of us, so that we might recognize in him, the God who heals broken relationships,and tears down the walls of division and hatred. There are no scapegoats. No excuses for selecting someone else to stay behind a wall, so as to not include them in the fold of God's family of love, hospitality and reconciliation.
Today, before we enter into this weekend time, Jesus invites us to begin to reconcile with those whom we have been creating walls of separation. Walls that we have built through our own biases and standards by which we have made our agenda more important than God's. We are lovingly invited to embrace God's boundless mercy and forgiveness. We can seek the power of the Holy Spirit to continue to "lead us into all truth" (John 16: 13) so that we can reach out to our neighbor with arms outstretched and share the kiss of peace for the mending of our lives together.
To those who will not receive us, and for those who are not ready to reach out our hands because of pains that remain, the compassionate God awaits, with understanding and patience to help us. God will love us no matter what choice we make. God is willing to help, if we will allow God to help.
Prayers
Lord Christ, our eternal Redeemer, grant us such fellowship in your sufferings, that, filled with your Holy Spirit, we may subdue the flesh to the spirit, and the spirit to you, and at the last attain to the glory of your resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever adn ever. Amen. (Collect for the Friday in the First Week in Lent, Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, p. 40).
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. (Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but
first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he
was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way
of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and
peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Fridays, Book of Common Prayer, p. 99).
Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right
judgements, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that
peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be
fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered
from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness;
through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen. (Prayer for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, p. 99).
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