February 23, 2014: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Catholic Social Teaching: Life and Dignity of the Human Person
“Our faith proclaims the sacredness of human life that magnifies dignity in the human person by universal, inviolable and inalienable human rights.” From https://cst74life.wordpress.com/
“…These rights apply to every stage of life and to every political, social, economic and cultural situation…” Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, (154)
Readings
First Reading: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
Psalm: 103: 1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13
Second Reading: 1st Corinthians 3:16-23
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48
Catechism of the Catholic Church
“The Law of the Gospel fulfills the commandment of the Law. The Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, far from abolishing or devaluing moral prescriptions of the Old Law, releases the hidden potential and has new demands arise from them: it reveals their entire divine and human truth. It does not add new external precepts, but proceeds to reform the heart, the root of human acts, where man chooses between the pure and impure, where faith, hope and charity are formed and with them other virtues. The Gospel thus brings the Law to its fullness through initiation of the perfection of the heavenly Father, through forgiveness of enemies and prayer for persecutors in emulation of the divine generosity.” From the Daily Roman Missal, Introduction to the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time , Cycle A
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church:
Leviticus 19:18
Man and woman are in relationship with others above all as those to whom the lives of others have been entrusted[215]. “For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning, … I will require it … of man [and] of every man’s brother” (Gen 9:5), God tells Noah after the flood. In this perspective, the relationship with God requires that the life of man be considered sacred and inviolable[216]. The fifth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” (Ex 20:13; Deut 5:17), has validity because God alone is Lord of life and death[217]. The respect owed to the inviolability and integrity of physical life finds its climax in the positive commandment: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Lev 19:18), by which Jesus enjoins the obligation to tend to the needs of one’s neighbour (cf. Mt 22:37-40; Mk 12:29-31; Lk 10:27-28). (112)
Matthew 5:43-33
The universality and integrality of the salvation wrought by Christ makes indissoluble the link between the relationship that the person is called to have with God and the responsibility he has towards his neighbour in the concrete circumstances of history. This is sensed, though not always without some confusion or misunderstanding, in humanity’s universal quest for truth and meaning, and it becomes the cornerstone of God’s covenant with Israel, as attested by the tablets of the Law and the preaching of the Prophets.
This link finds a clear and precise expression in the teaching of Jesus Christ and is definitively confirmed by the supreme witness of the giving of his life, in obedience to the Father’s will and out of love for his brothers and sisters. To the scribe who asks him “Which commandment is the first of all?” (Mk 12:28), Jesus answers: “The first is: ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength‘. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’. There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mk 12:29-31).
Inextricably linked in the human heart are the relationship with God — recognized as Creator and Father, the source and fulfilment of life and of salvation — and openness in concrete love towards man, who must be treated as another self, even if he is an enemy (cf.Mt 5:43-44). In man’s inner dimension are rooted, in the final analysis, the commitment to justice and solidarity, to the building up of a social, economic and political life that corresponds to God’s plan. (40)
1st Corinthians 3:22-23
Even the relationship with the created universe and human activity aimed at tending it and transforming it, activity which is daily endangered by man’s pride and his inordinate self-love, must be purified and perfected by the cross and resurrection of Christ. “Redeemed by Christ and made a new creature by the Holy Spirit, man can, indeed he must, love the things of God’s creation: it is from God that he has received them, and it is as flowing from God’s hand that he looks upon them and reveres them. Man thanks his divine benefactor for all these things, he uses them and enjoys them in a spirit of poverty and freedom. Thus he is brought to a true possession of the world, as having nothing yet possessing everything: ‘All [things] are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s’ (1 Cor 3:22-23) (44)
Not only is the inner man made whole once more, but his entire nature as a corporeal being is touched by the redeeming power of Christ. The whole of creation participates in the renewal flowing from the Lord’s Paschal Mystery, although it still awaits full liberation from corruption, groaning in travail (cf. Rom 8:19-23), in expectation of giving birth to “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 21:1) that are the gift of the end of time, the fulfilment of salvation. In the meantime, nothing stands outside this salvation. Whatever his condition of life may be, the Christian is called to serve Christ, to live according to his Spirit, guided by love, the principle of a new life, that brings the world and man back to their original destiny: “whether … the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor 3:22-23). (455)
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Reflection
Have you taken pause to calculate the benefits of God’s spiritual compensation plan or do you spend more time analyzing job perks and retirement accounts? What monetary compensation would ever offer pardon for all one’s inequities or heal all one’s ills? Compensation, that redeems our lives from destructive thoughts and practices that could fracture our sanity and relationships, is priceless. Spiritual compensation crowns our lives with kindness and compassion from the Lord who bestows mercy, in gracious means, for in His kindness He severs us from our transgression, into a freedom of immeasurable worth.
Reaping the benefits from our spiritual compensation plan, we must treat our sisters and brothers as God deals with us. Living without revenge, hatred or plastering grudges does not mean we are silent in the face of injustice towards ourselves or others. For to love our neighbor as our self means the demeaning of anyone’s human dignity by violence, disrespect or a spirit of unwelcomness in words or actions is an affront to a person’s God given human dignity — and by words and actions we must expose injustice from the dark recesses of silence. Oozing injustice produces defamatory muck that desecrates the inherent temple of God where the Spirit of God desires to be manifest in each human being. The foolishness of dominance exposes its vain purpose, when attempting to strike the other cheek ,the hand flies into the abyss of thin air and inflicts no physical malice. For true wisdom exposes injustice not by retaliation but illuminating the evil fabric of actions. When the law of oppression goes for a mile of servitude, the bonds can be chiseled by walking a second mile to stun the oppressor.
God loves all, for His rain percolates on the bad and the good. The brilliance of the sun radiates on the just and unjust. So actions and words exposing injustice must precipitate from prayer that crafts our heart to love as God loves.
Individual Reflection: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
On Ash Wednesday, pray for the courage and direction to fast from being silent about injustice during Lent. What actions might you take and encourage others to do?
Family Reflection: Matthew 5:38-48
For one week at dinner, each evening refrain from talking while eating to stand in solidarity with people that have no voice in the face of injustice. Dedicate each evening to a different group of people suffering from injustice — people in your family, church, community and the world. After dinner talk about the challenges each group faces, discuss ways to stand in solidarity with them and conclude with a prayer.
Prayer
When, in foolishness, we seek revenge towards injustice, help us to prayerfully expose the ruse with non-violent compassion. Give us courage to greet all as sisters and brothers and voices of kindness to reprove when appropriate. Thank you for separating us from our transgressions and helping us to fathom beyond our faults to be immersed into your graciousness that bestows blessings to quench our thirst from seeking you Lord, which illuminates your perfect graciousness.
Blogs to Visit:
As we reflect upon Mary’s presence in the mysteries of the Rosary, we are blessed to know her. For her journey, a timeless trek, calls us to surrender, continuing conversion, humbleness and justice now.
https://peaceonjustice.wordpress.com/
Weekly lectionary reflections, for faith sharing groups, parish bulletins, newsletters or personal prayer, from the synergy of the Word we hear and the rich tradition of Catholic Social Teaching.
https://cst74life.wordpress.com/
Catholic Social Teaching offers seven principles for upholding life in our thoughts, decisions and actions.
How we do Catholic Social Teaching.
https://csmresources.wordpress.com/
Creation sustainability ministry resources in the spirit of the St Francis Pledge.
Involvement Opportunities
List one or two upcoming events, legislative action alerts or social justice websites
By Barb Born February 11, 2014 The reflection maybe used in parish bulletins, newsletters or for faith sharing groups without copyright concern
