OCTOBER 14, 2009- ROMANS 2: 1-11; LUKE
11:42-48
LEARN OF ME FOR I AM MEEK AND
HUMBLE OF HEART. (Mt :29) The Gospel passage we
have just heard surely presents a feature of Jesus’ character that appears to
be anything but meek lowliness. The carping resistance offered to his teaching
by the Pharisees brought out another side of his character. Our Lord sharply
accosts his critics as he aggressively denounces their ambitious pride. He does
not hesitate to use blunt speech to their face, declaring them to be hypocrites
while unmasking the falsity of their show of religious observance. He here
imitates his ancestor David who is described as a paragon of meekness itself in
Psalm 131 where we read: “Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness”, though
elsewhere we hear that his anger could flare up in fierce attacks on his
adversaries. For in the Book of Kings it is reported how, upon finding his
enemies encamped in the Negeb, “David struck them
down from dawn till evening, putting them under the ban.” (1 K 27:17) Already
in
Jesus teaches us by his example that meekness is not weakness; rather, only the strong in confidence can practice the patience under provocation that manifests itself as gentle meekness. Aggressive action performed in anger in the face of injustice that brings harm or oppresses the defenseless is paired with true meekness. Only when we shall have learned to express anger appropriately, proportioned to the disorder it opposes can we practice the patience of true meekness. The gentleness of which Jesus is the model is not shy diffidence but rather a loving endurance of objectionable behavior for the sake of the real welfare of the offending other.
Aware of the heavy demands of this Christian patience, Saint Paul in today’s first reading reminds us that God Himself demonstrates by his governance of the world that love itself is double in its expression, though simple in its source is double in its effect. He writes that God “will repay every one for what he has done: eternal life to those who strive for glory, honor, and immorality by patiently doing right, wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth.” (Romans 2:7,8) By the grace of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus imparts to us with his holy body and blood at this Eucharist, may each of us grow in that pure love that is strong enough to imitate our Lord who is truly meek and humble of heart. &
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