Tuesday of the
Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Kings 17:7-16; Matthew 5:13-16)
People like to think of themselves as good. Yet they find themselves giving in to
selfishness and other vices. How can
they live with the contradiction? They
mix and match self-perceptions and actions in the endeavor to keep themselves
on the positive side of the moral ledger.
For example, a man may try to justify looking at pornography by buying
his wife a bouquet of roses on their anniversary. Such deceptive bookkeeping hardly approaches
what Jesus has in mind in the gospel today.
Jesus wants his disciples to shine with goodness. They are to be as common as salt by mixing
among others. And they are to be as
helpful as light showing the way to moral righteousness. Indeed, they are to live in such exemplary
ways that their neighbors will thank God for having them in their midst.
We should never justify an immoral act by saying, “Everyone
does it.” The statement is patently
false; everyone does not look at
pornography or take a bribe when offered.
In any case such actions do not meet Jesus’ expectations of us. As his disciples Jesus is calling us to give perfect
example to all those whom we encounter.
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