7th Sunday in Ordinary time year A | Homily for 19 February 2023.

 

On the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A the readings address the theme of holiness and how we are called to live out this holiness in our life.

The 1st reading taken from the book of Leviticus is part of what is known as the Holiness Code. Leviticus chapters 17-26 are commonly called the “Holiness Code” as these chapters are marked by a concern for holy living on the part of the people rather than a concern with sacrificial systems or ritual purity. In today’s reading we find the foundation for this call to holiness: “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy” Their holiness is to mirror God’s holiness.

And what does it mean to be holy? The idea behind the concept of holiness is "separation." It comes from a word meaning "to separate or cut off." God is separate, or cut off, from everything sinful and evil. God is separate from man and all creation. Yet because humans are made in the image of God, they can follow in His steps and also be holy. In this context, Israel was to be different; separate from the nations and the peoples around them, they are to be a holy people for a holy God. 

So how are the people of Israel called to be holy? Their holiness is shown in how they treat each other. Though the Holiness code is quite extensive as it deals with care for the widow and orphan, sharing with the poor, not dealing falsely etc. I believe that the text of the reading today gives us the essence of the Holiness code. “You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; You shall reprove your neighbour….you shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge…but shall love your neighbour as yourself.”The love we show towards others should not be one for the cameras and for others to see. It should be out of genuine love and concern. This genuine love and concern will make us carefront and not confront others when it is necessary. We all have blind spots that need to be corrected. Holding grudges and desiring revenge only destroys us from within. Loving others as ourselves will involve giving the needs of others the same priority that we give to our own.

In the second reading taken from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses the church at Corinth which is experiencing division as it is split up into different fractions with each having its own leader. When Paul uses the words ‘you are God’s temple’ it is important to note that in this reading the Temple is not each person but the community as a whole. Paul is using the plural: “You all are God’s Temple and God’s Spirit dwells in you all.”  This is a reminder that our life as Christians is to be lived out together as the community of God’s people. There is also a warning for anyone who corrupts the church and tries to destroy it since God’s temple i.e. the Church of Corinth is holy, set apart for a Godly purpose. Paul urges them to avoid basing their lives on human wisdom, which will, at some point, fail them and instead depend on God’s wisdom. He again reminds them that they, the Church belong not to Apollos or Peter or Paul but to Christ and Christ belongs to God.

In the gospel taken from Matthew, we come across perhaps the most famous and probably the most misunderstood biblical text. The Old Testament teaching – an eye for an eye – was designed to curb violence, not encourage it. However, contrary to this, Jesus teaches “…if anyone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other also.” At one level we can say that the text encourages non-violence and quite often this text is wrongly understood to be promoting an attitude of silence in the face of oppression and injustice. Nonetheless, a closer look at the text reveals some rather interesting insights.

One perspective is that the text mentions ‘if anyone strikes you on the right cheek’. In the times of Jesus, as it is even now to some extent, the right hand was considered to be clean and the left hand was considered to be unclean. Therefore, if I have to strike you on your right cheek I will have to use the back of my right hand to strike. This was a far more demeaning slap, something that was fit for slaves and inferior people. So when you turn the other cheek, the person’s only option was to slap with the palm of his hand, and this was not the way to slap a slave. This was reserved for equals. Thus, in giving the other cheek, the insulted and humiliated person asserted his humanity in a brave yet humble response. It was an act of courage against an oppressive system.

Jesus asks his disciples to not accept injustice with silence. We are to speak up and stand up against it but without using violence. We have to resist the urge to retaliate and seek revenge. The other two examples of suing to take away your coat and being forced to go one mile refer to the point that when we are going through persecution, we must not fill our minds with anger and hit back with violence, rather we have to stand our ground, do more than what is required and make the oppressor realize the evil in his actions.

The second part of the gospel expresses perhaps the most difficult teaching in the Bible. “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” The translation of the word love in this context is agape which is not romantic or brotherly love but rather it is a more divine selfless love. It is more an action word than a feeling word. A person who loves with agape love might or might not have warm feelings toward the other person, but will be concerned for the welfare of the other person and will do what is possible to help. Is this love possible in real life? Difficult certainly but not impossible. We have heard of the incredible stories of families forgiving the killers of their loved ones. We have seen people risking their own lives to save others they don’t even know, all these people act out of agape love.

The readings this Sunday invite us to introspect our lives and our relationships. Do we have a grudge towards someone? Do we give the interests of others equal importance? How do we respond to situations of injustice and oppression? We pray that in our journey towards holiness, we may grow in agape love towards those with whom we have strained relationships. With God’s grace, we will be able to decide to love and reach out to them when they are in need and thus be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.  May God bless us all.