March 14

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Friday, March 14, Lent I

MATTHEW 5:20-26

Reconcile

Prayerthoughts

a. Being “righteous” in Jesus’s mind has to do with much more than keeping a law. Is my life one of true love?

b. Is there anyone in my life right now with whom I am very angry? Is there any way that I can reconcile with that person?

c. Is my language toward some people especially toward those I do not like too strong? How can I be more gentle?

d. Jesus puts the decision to do something on me—“and you recall that your brother [or sister] has anything against you, go first and be reconciled.” I should spend some time thinking of the people like that in my life right now, and how can I say “I’m sorry.”

e. There is the possibility that I am “going to the altar,” that is a church-goer, and still holding a grudge. I should spend some time thinking about that possibility.

f. Jesus’s point is that I must always be working at reconciliation in my life.

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will send someone a note or email of my appreciation of them.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE LAW AND CONCERN FOR OTHERS

+ Everyone who reads the Scriptures knows that Jesus had real problems with the Scribes and Pharisees

- during the Sermon on the Mount which is part of today’s Gospel, he says:

Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

- it is helpful to analyze what the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was

- their idea of what made a person holy and righteous was law

- they gave their entire lives to it

- and Jesus attacked that idea of law throughout his life

- yes, worry about the law against murder, for example, he says today, but that’s not far enough

- it is the anger you have in your hearts and how you treat other people that you should worry about

- basically saying that law is not the important thing at all, it is what is within your heart

+ Americans have a great respect for the law

- in fact, our American system is set up in such a way that in order to make things work, we have to have law and lawyers to make it operate

- it may be a respect that is too pronounced

- the writer Alexander Solzinitzen has much to say in his writings about law

- he says that a society without any objective legal scale is a terrible one indeed—he lived in one most of his life

- but he also points out that a society with no other scale but the legal one is not worthy of man either

- he feels that a society that spends so much time on law breeds an atmosphere of what he calls “moral mediocrity”

- it could well be that Jesus had this type of thing in mind as he talked of righteousness which must be greater than the scribes and Pharisees

+ I have always thought that Jesus’ example in today’s Gospel is one of the most significant statements of his preaching

- he says that what is necessary for a true moral conscience is a concern for neighbor that goes so far as to say that if we are in the act of worship of God—the highest act there is—and certainly the highest for a Hebrew

- and there we realize that our brother or sister has something against us—notice the language—not that we have anything against them, but they have something against us

- then we leave the worship of God to take care of our concern for neighbor

+ The prophet Ezechiel talks about evil today, and in particular a virtuous man turning away from the path of virtue to do evil

- that could easily be interpreted in terms of the Gospel today—people of righteousness missing what righteousness really means

- righteousness—what is morally correct—has less to do with law, and more to do with how we treat others

- that is something to remember as we continue our Lenten resolutions.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "The Woman King" -- beginning session

A JUST WAR

The Gospel

MATTHEW 5:38-39

Jesus said: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well."

Gospelthink: Offer no resistance to one who is evil against you.

In the West African kingdom of Dahomey in 1832, the Oyo empire joined forces with the Mahi, another empire in the region, and raided Dahomey villages to obtain slaves. General Nanisca, leader of the all-female group of warriors, the Agojie, liberated the Dahomean women who were abducted by slavers from the Oyo empire. This provoked King Ghezo of Dahomey to prepare for an all-out war with the Oyo. Nanisca begins to train a new generation of warriors to join the Agojie to help in the fight. Among these warriors is Nawi, a strong-willed girl who was offered by her father to the king after refusing to marry. Unknown to Nanisca, Nawi is actually her daughter. The fight was successful, but Nawi was captured during the fight.

Perhaps the doctrine of Jesus that humankind has neglected the most is Jesus's directive to offer no resistance to one who is evil toward us. If we followed it, there would be no war and only peace.

How do we as Christian nations justify any war? How do we follow Jesus's directive to Peter when Jesus was arrested to put away his sword? How do we explain the fact that Christian men and women, supposedly the hands of Jesus on earth, sponsored the Crusades which attempted to obtain holy results by evil war? In all honesty, we can't. The only answer we can give is the answer of a just war, that is, the legitimate killing of an unjust aggressor, but it is still killing no matter what nuance we assign to it.

In the movie "The Woman King," King Ghezo leads the Dahomean people including the Agojie to war against the Oyo empire. It fits the definition of a just war since the Oyo and the Mahi who had joined the Oyo were invading the Dahomean empire to obtain slaves who were then sold to slave traders.

What can an interested Christian learn from the actions of an active war involving one's own country? In our modern situation, there is the possibility of a "conscientious objector," but for the most part, as in the movie, people either go to war or be punished for disobedience. And war will involve "kill or be killed" in direct opposition to Jesus's doctrine.

Be that as it may, the lesson of the movie must revolve around doing the best that one can given the evil situation of the war. It involves working on behalf of those who have been hurt in the conflict, or at the very least, praying for those who are committing the evil.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we live in a world that often brings about the killing of innocent people. Help us with a true understanding of Your Son's difficult doctrine to offer no resistance to those who show evil against us. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Even though the Christian doctrine of "offering no resistance to evil" should govern Christians, sometimes there is need to conduct a "just war," and we must engage.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 63 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. What would happen if all the Christians of the world would honestly observe Jesus's words, "Offer no resistance to one who is evil"?
3. The meditation says that we justify the fact that we are resisting those who are evil to us by the "just war" theory? Do you think that it is a "correct" way of carrying out of the Lord's words? Yes or no and why?
4. Do you think that the wars in which your country has fought, were all "just wars"? Yes or no and why?
5. In the world in which we live, "slavery" exists in some form. Give an example. Practically, what can I do about it?
6. What do you think of the fact that some people become "conscientious objectors" rather than go to war?
7. Supposing that we accept completely Jesus's words, in a war in which my country is involved, what can I do to help my country?