As We Forgive Those

 

Deacon Kevin Gingras

Feb 19, 2023

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021923.cfm

On January 29th we began the sermon on the mount from Matthew chapter 5.  Jesus had many mic-drop moments and the sermon on the mount was certainly one of them.  We need to pay attention to these past few weeks' readings for sure!

In the first week we heard about the Beatitudes, blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, the merciful are also blessed, so are the clean of heart and the peacemakers and those who are persecuted.  The kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.

Then, on February 5th,  we heard about how we are the salt and the light of the earth and we must shine for others to see.  Our salt must keep its flavor and our light must not be hidden.

On February 12th we heard Jesus expand on the 10 Commandments.  Not only should we not physically kill anybody but we should also not be angry or insulting to them as that could kill their spirit.  Reconcile with those who you are at odds with quickly.  We also must watch our eyes and thoughts as they can also cause us to sin and it would be better to get into Heaven blind than to suffer eternally in “Gehenna”.  

Today, February 19th, we finish the Sermon on the Mount and we end it learning that we should offer no resistance to one who is evil, we should walk two miles with folks who press us into service for one, if you just lost your tunic to somebody give them your cloak as well, vengeance is bad, and loving your neighbor is good.  The law of Moses used to state “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” - back then that was a good law, it made sure the retaliation wasn’t more extreme than the damages done.  Jesus wants us to rise above all vengeance.  Roman garrisons back then could force those living under their rule into service.  It’s how Simon of Cyrene was forced to help Jesus Carry his cross.  Jesus is telling us to go the extra mile.  It’s kind of like Yoda telling Luke to unlearn what he has learned.  His disciples must go above and beyond the normal way to behave.

We must love also love every single person on earth.  That doesn’t mean we have to go to dinner with all we encounter, but we must love them.  These are hard teachings for sure!

The past few weeks we have heard stories of a lot of holy people, Saints who have lived what Jesus taught.  This week we will follow that trend. Today you will hear about a holy man who forgives his enemies.  The story of Abdul-Munim Jitmound.  He probably won’t be recognized as a Saint by the Catholic church but to me, he embodies exactly what Jesus is trying to teach us this week.

In April of 2015, Salahuddin Jitmoud was finishing his shift as a Pizza Hut delivery driver.  He went to an apartment complex in Lexington Kentucky where he was killed and robbed.  He was found in the breezeway of the complex.  Trey Alexander Relford was found guilty of the murder.  The amazing part of this story is what happened at the sentencing.  Abdul-Munim Jitmoud - the father of the victim hugged Trey.  He forgave him.  He told Trey “The door of opportunity for God to forgive you is open. … So, reach out to Him. You have a new chapter of good life coming”.

Jesus knew what He was teaching, of course He did - He’s the Son of God!  Jesus knows that holding grudges or hatred towards others weighs us down, and keeps our eyes down here on earth instead of looking up to Heaven.

St. Paul asks the Corinthians as well as us:

Do you know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Do we know that?  I hope so!  Yet if we hold hatred in our temple we can’t hold as much God.  The more hatred, the less room there is for God and if we continue that way we can soon leave no room for God at all.  

This week think about any past grudges that we might be holding on to.  We will soon ask God to 

“forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”.

Lent begins on Wednesday.  A time to give up things.  Let’s all challenge ourselves to give up hatred, bitterness, hard feelings, and all ill will toward others.  We can replace those heavy feelings with love.  Love is much easier to carry around than all that negativity.  Trust that Jesus knew what He was teaching us this week.

Let’s live by one of St. John Bosco’s rules:

There must be no hostility in our minds, no contempt in our eyes, no insult on our lips.  We must use mercy for the present and have hope for the future