Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, virgin
(Genesis 46:1-7.28-20; Matthew 10:16-23)
Today’s gospel presents part of Jesus’ “apostolic discourse.”
He is giving instructions to his disciples as he sends them out to preach the Kingdom
of God. The dire circumstances of family
members being mortally at odds with one another because of Jesus did not occur
in his lifetime. However, it was certainly
part of the religiously charged atmosphere of Matthew’s time.
To “be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves” the apostles
would have to always tell the truth but say very little. It is wrong to lie, to say something that is
false with the intention to deceive. Moralists
argue about the need to tell the truth in situations where what one says may result
in grave harm. For Thomas Aquinas and
equally for Immanuel Kant telling the truth is of the highest order of
obligation and should never be violated.
But one does not necessarily have to say anything and should accept
punishment if the spoken truth would cause harm.
Such dire situations are rare, and we pray in the Our Father
to deliver us from such trials. Yet all
of us have experiences where the truth is inconvenient. We might prepare ourselves morally and
spiritually to speak it at those times.
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