Good Listening and Bad Looking

Jun 14: Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Gospel seems to be specifically about sexual morality and marriage, but even if these don’t apply to you in the moment, I think there's a way to extrapolate general principles from concrete examples. Jesus' lessons can apply far beyond their obvious interpretation.

Reading 1

1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-16

At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter. But the word of the LORD came to him, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by."

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake there was fire—but the LORD was not in the fire.

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, "Elijah, why are you here?"

He replied, "I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life."

The LORD said to him, "Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus. When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram. Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel, and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, as prophet to succeed you."

Remember Wednesday's reading, when the priests of Baal hopped around their altar, shouting and cutting themselves? "But there was not a sound; no one answered, and no one was listening."

Today, Elijah seeks an encounter with God. He's not met with silence, thankfully, but God doesn't come in the form of an earthquake or great fire. He comes instead as a whisper. Because it's not God Who should remain silent; it's us.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14

R. (8b) I long to see your face, O Lord.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.

We look for God in prayer. We may not hear the answer right away. Listening requires patience and fortitude. Sometimes, the entire point of the wait is to encourage that special kind of faith that sits silently in the hopeful dark.

Alleluia

Phil 2:15d, 16a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

God is beyond the world, but we are of it. We are not meant to be silent.

Gospel

Mt 5:27-32

Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 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. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

"It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Sin begins in our habits. We don't even realize what we're doing much of the time. We don't seek to covet…

It's not enough to simply not commit adultery (or any sin); we have to actively avoid it. Plucking out our eyes is a dramatic and memorable illustration, but we don't have to take it literally. We must avoid the near occasion of sin.