22nd Sunday in Ord Time (B)

INTRO: To keep us twins, “individuals” my parents bought us DIFFERENT toys.

Unfortunately, at times we would sneak around and take one another’s’ toys to play with which caused a lot of FRICTION between us brothers.

Jesus makes clear in the Gospel that what causes us to act inappropriately as a CHRISTIAN comes from within us. We could sometimes respond to others with attitudes and actions that do not correspond to our lives as disciples and followers of Jesus. We would have FRICTION, HOSTILITY, TENSION, DISCORD with one another. You and I know that that is just not nice!

One of the most difficult challenges of being a disciple of Jesus is not to let those things outside of us (and sometimes it is television) diminish what we are inside ourselves, created in God’s image and likeness, expected to be forgiving and compassionate. We are not to let such anger or vengeance displace our inner beauty. Think of Jesus on the cross and His words.
“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”!

I have never been a fan of:

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

That means I would have to act in the same manner as someone did to me.

I am more of a fan of properly, respectfully, peacefully dealing with injustices and wrongs against us for we cannot be silent, but we can be diplomatically righteous as truly coming from within.

We can be TRUE to our individual beliefs and ways and still allow others’ prerogatives which keeps open the possibilities of maintaining worthy and respectful relationships.

CONCLUSION:

So, how do we GET THAT WAY, as coming from within?

I say, allow time for prayer, meditation, the reading of Scripture to absorb into our minds and souls to become “walking Christ’s” with a great heart that creates a peaceful world.