11th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 17th June 2024 – 1 Kgs 21,1-16; Mt 5,38-42
Costly Price for Injustice
The first reading tells a story about the grave injustice done by king Ahab and Queen Jezebel in order to obtain Naboth’s beloved vineyard. Ahab offers to either buy the vineyard from Naboth or given him another in exchange. In spite of his royal position, the king could not confiscate the private lands. Because king’s power in Israel was limited by the law. However, Naboth refused because the ownership of the land was a sacred tradition handed down to him from his ancestors. Naboth’s refusal to dispose of his land was based on the conviction that the land belonged to the Lord and that a perpetual lease had been given to each Israelite family. Ahab went into depression, while Jezebel took it as a challenge to king’s power. And so, she plotted to covet Naboth’s property by accusing him of cursing both God and king, both charges carrying the punishment of death by stoning. The two witnesses gave their false testimony and Naboth was stoned outside Jezreel. With the vineyard now ownerless, Jezebel told her husband to exercise his right and take it over for himself. Naboth had a right to his land and ended up losing not only the land, but his life because of the wickedness of Jezebel. The wicked will resort to all sorts of evil handedness in order to get their way. The just sometimes have to pay a costly price as they hold on to what is rightfully theirs.
