11th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 14th June 2021 — Gospel: Mt 5,38-42
Emphasize not on ‘What’ but ‘Who’
Jesus’ last command in this section appears to be more impractical in today’s world: “Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” (Mt 5,42). This example highlights the reality of our mundane life where our usual exploiters are only undependable borrowers. However, Jesus teaches that the usual tests of discipleship occur in daily and in seemingly unheroic situations. Our obsession with material goods and possessions makes us shrink back at the thought of giving away what we have acquired. However, if we were willing to concentrate on the treasures of heaven and be content with only necessary food and clothing, we would accept these words more literally and willingly. Jesus is not saying that we should give and lend to everybody, but only to him who begs from us, that is, to the one who really needs it, not to the one who develops a whim that he would like to take something from us by force. Jesus’ statement presupposes that the person who asks for help has a genuine need. Since it is impossible to know whether the need is legitimate in all cases, it is better ‘to help a score of fraudulent beggars than to risk turning away one man in real need.’ Jesus’ concern here is not the what (things) that is in focus, rather it is the who (persons). Humanly speaking, such a behavior proposed by Jesus seems to be impossible. Only a person, who lives with the discernment of the Spirit, can live a self-sacrificing life. Such a believer in the Lord can accept insult (5,39), injustice (5,40), and inconvenience (5,41) and repay with love. This is “the gospel of the second mile.”
