11th Week in OT 2019 - Monday - Return Good for Evil Suffered

For the rest of the month of June, our weekday Mass Gospels are taken from Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount from chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew’s Gospel.

It is clear from the very beginning of the Sermon, that Jesus’ disciples are to live differently from others in the world—by a different set of standards than the good pagans who love those who love them and are good to those who are good to them—with a righteousness surpassing even that of the Jewish scribe and Pharisees. He calls us in short to be like him, to be like his Father, to be holy.

Today’s gospel includes a number of these counter-cultural teachings: “When someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.”  The world would say, when someone slaps you on the right cheek, slap them back, harder, get them back, teach them a lesson so they never think to slap you again.  Rather than responding with vengeance, Christians are to respond to violence as Christ did. During his Passion, as he was beaten and mocked by Roman Soldiers, he offered his sufferings to the Father for our salvation, he prayed from the cross that sinners be forgiven.

Instead of returning “evil for evil”, we are to return “good for evil”. This not only stops the cycle of violence, but allows God to reverse and transform it.  The Christian bearing an evil patiently instead of reacting mindlessly or calling for vengeance becomes a source of mercy in the world.

Of course, we are not to be passively indifferent to the evils of the world. But, preaching the Gospel, standing for truth, working for justice will often evoke the wrath of the worldly and morally corrupt. But wrath is not to be met with wrath. We are to endure “through much endurance in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts” as St. Paul describes in the Epistle this morning, not with vengeance or malice but “by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness.” And when we do, we become true ministers of God, instruments through whom God brings about miraculous conversion and renewal.

Through our Eucharist today, may our hearts be opened to ever-deeper faithfulness to Christ’s teachings, his way of peace, his way of transforming love for the glory of God and  salvation of souls.

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That the bishops of the Church will act as true prophets through their faithful teaching, their courageous witness, and their self-sacrificing love. We pray to the Lord.

That government leaders around the world may carry out their duties with justice, honesty, and respect for freedom and the dignity of human life.  We pray to the Lord.

For the Church’s missions amongst the poor and unevangelized throughout the world, that the work of Christ may be carried out with truth and love. We pray to the Lord.

For the grace to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love our neighbors and enemies and those who persecute us, and to share the truth of the Gospel with all.  We pray to the Lord.

For all those who share in the sufferings of Christ—the sick, the sorrowful, and those who are afflicted or burdened in any way.  We pray to the Lord.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray to the Lord.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.