Breaking the Word – Page 2467 – Rev. Dr. Victor Antonyraj SDB

10.06.10 RECONCILIATION

Posted under Reflections on June 9th, 2010 by

I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.'…

Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. (Mt 5:20-26)

Many a times public anger is expressed to people at home. A man who is angry with the people with whom he works comes home to shout at his own family members. The anger that is within the person spills over into hatred and violence. Anger makes a man a little less than human. Anger belittles the person. This anger will let him use abusive languages and later lead him to court.

Jesus gives two remarkably specific and practical commandments. Be reconciled; make friends. It looks simple yet very difficult and costly. When one wants to be reconciled and make friends then he has to come down from the pedestal on which he is standing. One has to abandon the position of superiority. Yes, genuine humans do not live on pedestals; they have their feet on the ground. They are on a level with everyone.

Reconciliation takes precedence over worship. Jesus gives two examples. One is going to the temple to offer sacrifice and the other is going to the court. In both the cases Jesus tells the listeners not to go the temple or court with out reconciliation. Is it possible? It was possible for Jesus. So reconciliation is not an ideal to preach about or admire; rather it is an achievement, an accomplishment which we have to imitate.

09.06.10 LAWS & PROPHETS

Posted under Reflections on June 8th, 2010 by

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:17-19)

Jesus had not come to abolish the law and the prophets. Revolutionaries often tend to change the present rules and bring about a change by changing the whole system that is at work at the time of revolution. They try their best to prove the old commandments and offer new laws to the followers. Jesus had come to fulfil them. Israel’s history, laws, promises and all were going to be fulfilled in the person of Jesus.

Jesus brought everything into a reality in himself. So he was salt to the earth and a light to the world and a city built on a hill top. He was crucified on a hill top for the whole world to see. He became a beacon of hope and new life for all those who see him. He drew all people to worship his father, and he embodies the way of self-giving love which is the deepest fulfilment of the law and the prophets.

A Christian, followers of Jesus, is a revolutionary in not changing the rules or fighting the present system. In stead he is the perfect follower of Jesus by fulfilling the law and the prophets of his time by embodying his way of life through perfect and self giving love. Love fulfils all the laws, promises etc.