1 Kings 19:9a, 11-16,
Psalm 27:7-8ab 8c-9abc.13- 14,
Matthew 5:27-32 Full Readings
Blessed Jolenta Yolanda of Poland
Avoidance of Sin
Brethren, today's Gospel presents to us a radical language used by Jesus in teaching about two prominent things: sexual immorality and marital fidelity or adultery. He tells his disciples during the Sermon at the Mount, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” Matthew 5:29-30a
Most of us, if not all of us are asking, Did Jesus really mean this literally?
No, This should not be taken literally but It was a symbolic radical language to emphasize the avoidance of sin, the penalty of sin and the requirement of a radical change from sinning. The same horror and the same penalty is expressed in Mark 9.37-47 and Matthew 18.8-9 for those who cause the ‘little ones who have faith in Jesus’ to sin. In Church history, there are those who took this text literally like Origen who castrated himself to avoid sexual temptations, but the church cannot allow this, that's why he is not a saint but just a church father. So how should we understand this text.
No, This should not be taken literally but It was a symbolic radical language to emphasize the avoidance of sin, the penalty of sin and the requirement of a radical change from sinning. The same horror and the same penalty is expressed in Mark 9.37-47 and Matthew 18.8-9 for those who cause the ‘little ones who have faith in Jesus’ to sin. In Church history, there are those who took this text literally like Origen who castrated himself to avoid sexual temptations, but the church cannot allow this, that's why he is not a saint but just a church father. So how should we understand this text.
Jesus uses two images, an eye and a hand, but can be more in our situations. The eye can be understood as a window to our soul where our thoughts, choices and desires reside and a hand can be a symbol of our actions as we use it most often.
Brethren, it can neither be our eyes or hands that commit sin, all sin comes from the heart (Mt 15:18), from our thoughts, desires and choices we make daily. These are the ones which put into action our body parts to commit sin. So when Jesus says, "Pluck it out", "Cut it off" , He doesn't mean to cut the hand out pluck out the eye but to cut and pluck out from our lives all thoughts, desires, choices and actions that lead us into sin.
Just as a doctor might remove some part of the body, such as a diseased limb, in order to preserve the life of the whole body, so we must be ready to part ways with anything that causes us to sin and which inevitably leads to spiritual death. This requires a radical choice and a discipline. As human beings we have an inclination towards sin and at any time we can possibly fall into sin, but this is not to be taken as an excuse, we have conscience and power to make decisions. What we need is to avoid any occasion of sin and whatever causes us to sin through our conscience and decisions we make.
We also have to understand that we are living in a world where sin has lost sense and is being normalised and where many occasions of sin especially sexual immorality, are at hand, from indecent dressing, pornography, group sex even in Africa and advertisements. We there need to discipline ourselves in order not to be taken away by these.
Through our conscience we can make good choices and avoid any occasion of sin, please don't blame your eye which saw, don't blame your hand which touched, don't blame your finger which went there or any part of your body because you have sinned; they are doing their work. It's through your thoughts, choices and actions. When you reflect deep into your life you will find you have no many types of sins but you may have one or two or three, only that you repeat them several times.
Our invitation today is to control what we think about which leads us into action. Pluck each and every thought from your life which you think may bear bad fruit. Also cut each and every action in your life that leads you into sin. We also need to know what are my/your occasions of sin? Is it a relationship or social situations or idleness or indulgence or a person or desire to spoil others? With these you can resolve and work on them.
Brethren, we also need to set good examples to our fellows, don't be a person or cause a situation that will lead your brother or sister or children or employee or workmate, into sin in one way or the other. Finally, reflect on what is/are your prominent sins and pray for the Holy Spirit to help you avoid them and always make good choices. This requires to be in silence with your God because as we have seen in the first reading, Elijah experienced God in a silent whispering sound not in earthquake nor wind, and so we need silence to be with God.
Let us Pray
Lord I pray that by your grace I may always avoid any occasions of sin and overcome all temptations as I strive for holiness. Amen
Be Blessed
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