Memorial of Saint
Anthony of Padua, priest and doctor of the Church
(I Kings 21:1-16; Matthew 5:38-42)
Very recently in the United States police brutality has
been given notoriety. Excessive use of
force even to the point of killing suspected criminals has been exposed in the
press. To the extent that such cases are
verified, they are rightly publicized and condemned. In today’s first reading a case of abusive
state authority is presented. The gospel
reading may cause wonder of what to do about it.
Jezebel relieves her pouting husband of frustration by
using state authority to murder his nemesis.
The crime calls to heaven for redress.
In the gospel is Jesus demanding toleration of such outrage? By saying, “’…offer no resistance to one who
is evil,’” Jesus is announcing the end of retribution among his followers. He is instructing them to become as patient
with evildoers as their Father in heaven.
However, Jesus does not want us to abandon claims for
justice. We are to walk toward him with
our paths enlightened by his love. Yet the
ground we trod is mired in violence from which we must be protected. Jesus is not forbidding us from taking up
this task. But he is insisting that we do
so with genuine care for our persecutors.
No comments:
Post a Comment