June 17, 2013
Monday 11th Week in
Ordinary Time St. Gregory
Barbarigo
1st Reading: 2 Cor 6:1–10 Gospel: Mt 5:38–42
Jesus said to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give when asked and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
A strong sense of justice in the Old Testament explains the evolution of the practice of retaliation during the time of Jesus. Consider, for example this particular provision in the Book of Leviticus:
“If a man beats any person to death, he must be put to death. One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, life for life. If a man inflicts an injury on his fellow citizen, just as he has done it must be done to him – fracture for fracture, eye for eye, and tooth for tooth – just as he inflicts an injury on another person, that same injury must be inflicted on him…” (Leviticus 24:17-22).
The Book of Exodus reiterates this Leviticus provision in the following manner: But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise (Exodus 21:23-25).
The Book of Deuteronomy hints that such manner of attaining justice serves as deterrence against evil. Thus in Deuteronomy 19:19-21 we read: “you must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you. You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot. “
In contrast Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile” (Mt 5:38–42).
Jesus was not totally off tune because his teaching found support in this provision from the Book of Proverbs: “The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone, it will come back to him”. (Proverbs 26-27). – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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