First Reading: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18

Although it is the shortest work in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, the Book of Leviticus is in the center. Some scholars, who believe that the later priestly caste was the last to edit the Pentateuch, emphasized the importance of religious practices by placing this book in the center of the Torah. It gives a basis for the religious cult of the people, which will be established in Jerusalem.

This passage is within a section of the book that is called the Holiness Code (Leviticus 17:1 - 26:46). It begins with a statement that is central to the whole work, the call of the people – all the people, not just a select group – to holiness. The phrase, “I, the Lord, your God,” appears eight times in this chapter. God speaks directly to His people.

The positive command, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” is the core of the ethical duties that are given in this chapter. This includes the responsibility of correcting someone in error: “You may have to reprove your fellow citizen.” But it is not to be done with meanness. “Brother or sister,” “fellow citizen,” “your people,” and “neighbor” refer to fellow Jews, “the whole Israelite community.” It does not include Gentiles.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23

Paul addresses the Christian community at Corinth as the “temple of God.” He mentions the temple three times, thus emphasizing its importance in his discussion of the community of faith. A temple is first and foremost a dwelling place for God. Its presence in the city assured them of security and well-being for their daily lives.

The reference to Apollos and Cephas recalls 1 Cor 1:12, where they are mentioned along with Paul regarding baptism. In contrast to belonging to one of these names, Paul includes the reference to everything belonging to Christ. Paul appeals to two scriptural texts (Job 5:13 and Psalm 93:11) to support his argument and demonstrate its rootedness in the Word of God.

The list of eight things, from “Paul” to “the future,” are bracketed by the expression, “all things are yours.” The inclusion is not as clear in the English translation (“everything belongs to you. . . all belong to you”). It brings everything into a relationship with God through Christ. That is what will make the people “holy,” and whole, as well, by eliminating the divisions that exist in their community. It is a strong theme throughout the letter.

Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48

The Gospel continues with the teaching of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount, the first of five discourses. This discourse characterizes the ministry of Jesus and underlies His mission, which He will share with the disciples.

Jesus addresses the problem of retaliation and resolving disputes in this section of the discourse. He begins by quoting the lex talionis, “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Reciprocity, or proportionality, was a rule of justice to replace blood revenge that continued a cycle of violence. Recall the demands of Lamech in Gn 4:23-24, who went far beyond the limitations of this rule of law. Although this rule of law has sometimes been accused of preserving blood revenge, it was actually an attempt to eliminate it. Jesus offers a new code that excludes retaliation, which returns evil for evil. The phrase, “offer no resistance,” can be translated as, “do not retaliate.”

Jesus was not advocating submission, compliance and complicity with the evil forces of the world. He did not tell His disciples to become victims of oppression. He is using imagery to call attention to a new way of thinking that interrupts the cycle of violence. His view of non-violence is reflected in the lives of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa. Their teaching was more powerful than the forces that sought to ignore or destroy them. Without coercive and destructive power, they were able to change the way that many people think to resolve serious social problems. It was their lives that were the most convincing and powerful lessons.

Jesus offers his foundational teaching, which will be demonstrated in His final human act on the Cross. He quotes from Lv 19:18 (from the first reading), but adds what was commonly accepted as an attitude toward one’s enemies. It serves as a contrast to what he proposes as an ethic for His disciples. The command to “be perfect” emphasizes what Jesus has just told them: “Love your enemies.” They were to go beyond the command to love their fellow Jew. They were told that to “greet your brothers only” was not going far enough.

Perfection was not just for a few. It was the fundamental command for all disciples to embrace. There was no promise of a practical end to what Jesus promised. Their motivation and decision to act differently was evidence of the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God into the created world.

In a pastoral leadership workshop, which I attended recently, the presenter discussed the importance of the use of the power of authority. The proper use of authority is to bring people together. When it divided people into “us” and “them,” then it became oppressive. The “other ones” become an object to convert or destroy. The appeal to moral righteousness is one of the most enticing ways to the wrong use of power.

In both the political and religious spectrums, I have seen the destructive power of this adversarial relationship. My father told me how he was told to cross the street, if he was walking on the sidewalk in front of a non-Catholic Church. I still feel a certain unsettledness, when I drive by some of our “competition” in the neighborhood. When we assume a superior attitude over others, we endanger the peace that Christ came to bring. I am still working on that perfection to which the Lord challenges us to reach. I hope that you are, too! Together, we stand for a new order, the Gospel, that Jesus announced.

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Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.