17.06.2024 – St. Patrick Catholic Church, Largo, FL

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What makes a Christian different from everyone else?

1Kings 21:1-16, Psalm 5, Matthew 5:38-42

In today’s first reading, the Book of Kings describes the judicial murder of the innocent Naboth as a glaring example of the misuse of royal power. Queen Jezebel’s total disregard for the human rights of ordinary people shows how far institutional authority can be abused. That her husband, King Ahab, condoned the violent seizure of Naboth’s vineyard arouses indignation in our hearts. Their combined crime cried out to heaven for vengeance. It was a classic case of man’s inhumanity to man.

Jesus invites us to live by a totally different guideline, not to impose our will on others and not repay evil with evil, but to show mercy and goodness instead. The worst instinct in nature is to mistreat those who have intended us nothing but good. The crucifixion of Jesus is the supreme example of that. It is a much nobler instinct to seek to resolve evil through goodness. This divine instinct of patience and goodwill was what prompted Jesus, who endured the evil that was done to him and responded with love. Basically, he lived and died to overcome evil with good.

It is almost impossibly hard to stay patient if we feel that others have done us harm, or to remain loving in the face of unfairness, or faithful in the face of infidelity. Nobody could live by these ideals without a special grace from God. We need that grace and the strength of the Spirit, to consistently follow the pacifist and peace-making lifestyle proposed by Jesus.

How do we use the power we have? To oppress others or to help them? If someone insults you or tries to take advantage of you, how do you respond? Do you repay in kind?

What makes a disciple of Jesus Christ different from everyone else? What makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace – treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated – with loving-kindness and mercy. Let us ask today for that special grace of God that we will be frees from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and the courage to return evil with good. It was Mahatma Gandhi who said “I like your Christ, but not your Christianity.” And later he said: “I’d be a Christian if it were not for the Christians.” We who listen and read the gospel everyday should try as much as possible to live by the gospel we read.

The Psalmist today reminds us that God detests all evildoers, those who speak falsehood. The bloodthirsty and the deceitful the Lord abhors. As we begin this week, let us pray that God gives us the grace to respond with love and kindness to our neighbours, our brothers and sisters even when they wrong and offend us for that is what makes us different from everyone else.