10th Week in Ord. Time, Saturday – 11th June 2022 — Gospel: Mt 5,33-37
Integrity in Response
In today’s antithesis, Jesus addresses those who use swearing as a sign that they are telling the truth. Swearing as a sign of honesty has been around since ancient times. When Jesus speaks against the swearing oaths, he’s not referring to serious, formal commitments like marriage or a courtroom witness. He’s condemning those who use the language of oaths to disguise dishonest intentions. He objects to people who swear by God and things related to God. God is not to be invoked as the guarantee of our honesty. We should be people who are dedicated to the truth at all times. Our affirmations or negations should be simply stated. It should be based on the fact that we are always speaking the truth and do not need God to be called upon whenever we want others to accept our statements as being truthful and honest. The fact of our dealing honestly does not need to be punctuated by swearing. Jesus’ command for believers is simple: let your words be “yes” and “no”. A believer ought to be honest in what they say and do. They should live a life of integrity that others trust them without seeking such oaths.
