MONDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Mt 5:38-42 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

READING OF THE DAY

A reading from the First Book of Kings

1 Kgs 21:1-16

Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel

next to the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.

Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden,

since it is close by, next to my house.

I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or,

if you prefer, I will give you its value in money.”

Naboth answered him, “The LORD forbid

that I should give you my ancestral heritage.”

Ahab went home disturbed and angry at the answer

Naboth the Jezreelite had made to him:

“I will not give you my ancestral heritage.”

Lying down on his bed, he turned away from food and would not eat.

His wife Jezebel came to him and said to him,

“Why are you so angry that you will not eat?”

He answered her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite

and said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard, or,

if you prefer, I will give you a vineyard in exchange.’

But he refused to let me have his vineyard.”

His wife Jezebel said to him,

“A fine ruler over Israel you are indeed!

Get up.

Eat and be cheerful.

I will obtain the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”

So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and,

having sealed them with his seal,

sent them to the elders and to the nobles

who lived in the same city with Naboth.

This is what she wrote in the letters:

“Proclaim a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people.

Next, get two scoundrels to face him

and accuse him of having cursed God and king.

Then take him out and stone him to death.”

His fellow citizens—the elders and nobles who dwelt in his city—

did as Jezebel had ordered them in writing,

through the letters she had sent them.

They proclaimed a fast and placed Naboth at the head of the people.

Two scoundrels came in and confronted him with the accusation,

“Naboth has cursed God and king.”

And they led him out of the city and stoned him to death.

Then they sent the information to Jezebel

that Naboth had been stoned to death.

When Jezebel learned that Naboth had been stoned to death,

she said to Ahab,

“Go on, take possession of the vineyard

of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you,

because Naboth is not alive, but dead.”

On hearing that Naboth was dead, Ahab started off on his way

down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,

to take possession of it.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew

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 say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.

When someone strikes you on your right cheek,

turn the other one to him as well.

If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,

hand him your cloak as well.

Should anyone press you into service for one mile,

go with him for two miles.

Give to the one who asks of you,

and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow."

MONDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Mt 5:38-42

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In God's Word today, God tells us: The Law of ancient people taught "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." At the time, the law was "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth", which was a law of fairness and compensation. And people viewed that law as suitable and perfect. But when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth as a human, He perfected the old Law and gave people a new, better and more perfect Law, which is the law of love, charity, and forgiveness. Be humble, humble ourselves and sacrifice ourselves for everyone, sacrifice selflessly, love and suffer losses for yourself rather than seeking justice according to worldly habits.

Jesus Christ came to earth and became a human to save and bring life to people. He invites people: Whoever carries out the new Law given by God, which is the law of charity and love, will be saved by God. Jesus Christ gave the law and He Himself practiced that law through sacrifice, humility, self-humbleness and emptiness, that is: from His identity as the Son of God, He accepted all suffering and suffered the humiliation of death on the cross to save us. He invites people to live according to the law of love, which He Himself is a model for implementing and keeping.

In this day and era, God still desires to invite everyone to live and keep the Law of love and charity perfectly, and to place the law of charity and love above all other laws. Only then can humans have an eternal, happy life in the House of God the Father in heaven.

Thanks be to God. Amen.