OT VII [A] Lv 19:1-2, 17-18; I Cor 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48 

The first reading, taken from the book of Leviticus, gives the holiness code: “Be holy, for I the Lord, your God, am holy.” It also gives us the way to share God’s holiness: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” God’s chosen people were, and are, expected to be holy people sharing in God’s holiness by embodying His love, mercy and forgiveness.

 In the second reading, St. Paul gives us an additional reason to be holy. We are to keep our bodies holy because we are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit lives in us. In the Gospel passages taken from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus confirms, corrects, and expands the Ten Commandments.

During their captivity in Egypt, the Jews became familiar with the crude tribal law of retaliation (Lex Talionis = Tit-for-Tat), given by the ancient lawmaker Hammurabi during the period 2285-2242 BC. When this law was first developed, it made life better and more civilized. It restricted revenge and made it commensurate with the offense. Moses instructed the Israelites to follow tit-for-tat retaliation, rather than to wreak total destruction upon their enemies. That is, instead of mutilating or murdering all the members of the offender’s family or tribe, they should discover the offender and only punish him/her with an equal mutilation or harm. Later, a milder version of this law was substituted. It demanded monetary compensation, as decided by a judge, in place of physical punishment. Moses also gave the Israelites several laws commanding merciful treatment for the enemy (e.g., Lv 19:18). By advising, “Turn to him the other cheek,” Jesus instructs his followers to forgive an insult gracefully and, so, convert the offender. He commands that we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us to prove that we are children of a merciful Heavenly Father.

In Martin Luther King’s sermon, “Knock at Midnight”, King says, “My brother A.D. and I were traveling from Atlanta to Chattanooga on a dark and stormy night. For some reason, travelers were very discourteous that night. Hardly a single driver dimmed their lights. Finally, A.D. who was driving, said, ‘I have had enough’ as he powered his lights back on bright. I said, ‘Don’t do that, you are going to cause a wreck and get us killed.’ Somebody must have sense enough to dim their lights, to break the cycle of hate. If somebody doesn’t have sense enough to turn on the dim and beautiful lights of love, we are all going to plunge into the abyss.”‘ 

The second part of today’s Gospel passage is perhaps the central and the most famous section of the Sermon on the Mount. It gives us the Christian ethic of personal relationships: love one’s neighbors and forgive one’s enemies. Above all, it tells us that what makes Christians different is the grace with which they treat others with loving kindness and mercy, even if they don’t deserve it.

Toward the end of the Revolutionary War, a turncoat traitor, named Michael Whitman, was captured. At his trial it was proven that he had given the British army invaluable assistance on numerous occasions. He was found guilty of spying and sentenced to death by hanging. Michael Whitman was from a town called Ephrata. Word got back to that town of his imprisonment and impending execution. There was a Baptist preacher who also lived in that town whose name was Peter Miller. He heard about Michael Whitman’s plight and walked 70 miles in the cold and the snow to Philadelphia to see George Washington. Washington and Peter Miller were very close friends. Miller had done a great many favors for the army; he had given them spiritual nourishment and emotional strength during difficult times. When he came in to see George Washington he said, “General, I have a favor to ask of you.” Washington said, “What is it?” He said, “I have come to ask you to pardon Michael Whitman.” Washington was stunned. He said, “Pastor Miller, that’s impossible. Whitman has done everything in his power to betray us, even offering to join the British and help destroy us. I cannot be lenient with traitors, and for that reason I cannot pardon your friend.” Peter Miller said, “Friend! He’s no friend of mine. He’s the bitterest enemy I’ve ever had in my life. For years he persecuted me and harassed me. He did everything he could to hurt my Church and to hinder the preaching of the Gospel. He even waited for me one time after Church and beat me almost senseless, spitting in my face, knowing full well I would not strike him back.” He said, “General, let’s get this straight—Michael Whitman is no friend of mine.” George Washington was puzzled. He said, “But you asked me to pardon him.” He said, “I have, and I ask you to do it to me as a personal favor.” He said, “Why?” He said, “Because that’s exactly what Jesus has done for you and for me.” With tears in his eyes, George Washington walked into the next room and soon returned with a paper on which was written the pardon of Michael Whitman. Peter Miller went personally with him to the stockade, saved Michael Whitman from the hangman’s noose, and personally took him back to his own home where he led him to Faith in Jesus Christ. Peter Miller was right. What he did for Michael Whitman, Jesus Christ has done for us, and on the cross, He spoke to us as we should speak to others: “With malice toward none; with charity toward all.” 

We need to have a forgiving heart: Jesus demands that we should forgive, pardon and be generous whether or not our offenders deserve it, and even if we are not loved in return.

Today, as we continue with this Mass, and especially as we renew our faith in Christ and his plan for our lives by reciting the Creed, let's renew our commitment to obey our Lord who taught us to turn the other cheek, and also pray for those who willfully cause us suffering, hardships and unhappiness.