"Do not give dogs what is holy; and do
not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn
to attack you. So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them;
for this is the law and the prophets. "Enter by the narrow gate; for the
gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who
enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to
life, and those who find it are few.
--------------------------
Why does Jesus
contrast pearls and holiness with dogs and swine? Pearls were of very
great value and even considered priceless. The same with holiness because God
is all-holy and he invites us to share in his holiness which is very precious
and priceless as well. The Talmud, a rabbinic commentary on the Jewish
Scriptures, has a proverbial saying for something which is inconguous or out of
place: an ear-ring in a swine’s snout. Jesus' expression about
"pearls before swine" and "not giving dogs what is holy" is
very similar in thought. Jesus’ concern here is not with exclusivity (excluding
other people from our love, care, and concern), but with purity – the purity of
the faith which has been entrusted to us by an all-holy and all-wise God. The
early church referenced this expression with the Eucharist or the Lord’s Table.
In the liturgy of the early church, a proclamation was given shortly before
communion: Holy things to the holy. The Didache, a first century church
manual stated: Let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist except those
baptised into the name of the Lord; for, as regards this, the Lord has said,
'Do not give what is holy to dogs.' The Lord Jesus invites us to his table,
but we must approach worthily.
Jesus summed up the
teaching of the Old Testament law and prophets – So whatever you wish that
men would do to you, do so to them – and in the same breath he raised it to
a new level of perfection and fulfillment. The law of love requires more than
simply avoiding injury or harm to one's neighbor. Perfect love – a love which
is unconditional and which reaches out to all – always seeks the good of others
for their sake and gives the best we can offer for their welfare. When we love
our neighbors and treat them in the same way we wish to be treated by God and
by others, then we fulfill the law and the prophets, namely what God requires of
us – loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as
ourselves. How can we love our neighbor selflessly and and show them kindness
and concern for their welfare? If we empty our hearts of all unkind and
unloving thoughts and sentiments, then there will only be room for kindness,
goodness, charity, and mercy. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love
has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to
us." It is the love of God that fuels our unconditional love for others.
Are you ready to let the Holy Spirit transform your life with the purifying
fire of God's love?
Jesus uses an image which
is common in the Old Testament: choosing between two divergent ways or paths –
the way that leads to fulfillment and life versus the way that leads to
destruction and death. The Book of Psalms begins with an image of a person who
has chosen to follow the way of those who are wise and obedient to God's word
and who refuse to follow the way of those who think and act contrary to God's
law : Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor
stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight
is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. When
a path diverges, such as a fork in the road, each way leads to a different
destination. This is especially true when we encounter life’s crossroads where
we must make a choice that will affect how we will live our lives. Do the
choices you make help you move towards the goal of loving God and obeying his
will? The Lord gives us freedom to choose which way we will go. Ask him for the
wisdom to know which way will lead to life rather than to death and
destruction. See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and
evil. ...Therefore choose life that you and your descendants may live. Choose
this day whom you will serve. Behold I set before you the way of life
and the way of death. If we allow God's love and wisdom to rule our hearts,
then we can trust in his guidance and grace to follow the path of love and
holiness.
--------------------------
"Let me love
you, my Lord and my God, and see myself as I really am – a pilgrim in this
world, a Christian called to respect and love all whose lives I touch, those in
authority over me or those under my authority, my friends and my enemies. Help
me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself and reach out towards others."
---
No comments:
Post a Comment