THE PERFECT MOLD

The Perfect Mold

 

“If the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil… None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered, because he has broken faith and committed sin.” – Ezekiel 18:24

 

There are some Christians who do good to atone for something bad they have done. Some rich people donate “generously” to somewhat assuage their guilt for whatever iniquities they have committed. Businessmen cheat on their taxes so that they can “help” more people through employment. These Christians believe that entering heaven is like passing the test at the weighing scale of justice. By doing more good deeds than bad, they think they will earn the right to enter. Doing good things is always virtuous; but doing it for the sake of covering up for something sinful is not in God’s book of standards.

When we manufacture our paper bags, the machine would sometimes produce some that are substandard. What we do is re-make these bags by hand. Otherwise, they will be rejected and thrown to the recycling pit. If we let God’s hands mold us according to His standards, not ours, then our entry to heaven is assured. Rolly España (rolly@homeliving.com.ph)

 

REFLECTION:

Who is leading you? Is it the Good Shepherd or yourself?

 

Father, You are the potter and I am the clay. Mold me and fashion me according to Your will.

Dangerous Traps

 

Jewish teachers usually quote other rabbis, famous and authoritative teachers of the past. Or they quote their Hebrew Bible, our Old Testament. And that is what Jesus is doing during His famous Sermon on the Mount. Today Jesus quotes a passage from the Law of Moses. But then He adds to the quotation from Moses’ law, “But I say this to you…”

Moses had received the law on a mountain. Now Jesus, as a second Moses but greater than Moses, gives a new law on another mountain. With great authority He goes beyond the old law, beyond a legalistic approach of the law. Pope Benedict writes in his book Jesus of Nazareth (p. 102), “The intention is not to abolish, but to fulfill, and this fulfilment demands a surplus, not a deficit, of righteousness…” What is this surplus Jesus has added to the old law?

He makes us aware that it might be relatively easy not to violate a law and so we might think that everything is fine with us. For sure, among the readers of this reflection nobody has killed in his/her life and will never do it, except maybe killing mosquitoes and cockroaches. But what about anger toward others? What about hurting words hurled at somebody? What about a silent treatment that causes a person to suffer? These thoughts and wishes might remain totally unknown to anybody around us. But they are there. And Jesus makes us aware of this fact. He also makes us aware that negative thoughts can easily become words and result in actions. They are like traps that can leave us unaware of their dangerous existence. When we slap sometimes our forehead and say, “How could I say this?” or “How could I do this?” we find the answer in today’s Gospel passage: We have nourished evil thoughts without realizing that the trap will snap and we explode with hurting words or even actions. Jesus does not intend to add more burdens to our already burdensome life. In His love He just makes us aware of this dangerous trap of hidden evil thoughts — before they materialize in words or actions. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

Reflection Question:

Do I think that I am a good person because I do not violate the major commandments?

 

Do I have my inner thoughts and emotions under control? Lord, cleanse me from my hidden, negative and even evil thoughts that I may never say or do something that hurts You and others.

 

St. Victor, pray for us.