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Tuesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
St. Luke Institute
June 26, 2012
DOGS AND SWINE?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø Today’s gospel passage
demands several comments.
Ø 1st when J,
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or
toss your pearls before swine…” he is telling his disciples that for now,
just focus on the people of Israel
Ø Dogs were kept out of house
& swine were viewed as unclean animals
Ø Referring 2 people as
dogs and swine very rough & disrespectful, not what we’d expect from J
Ø He’s using common
expressions of day 2 denote those outside Judaism
Ø For now, wants DD 2 get
his fellow Jews 2 accept message / Only later does he send DD beyond confines
of Judaism
DO UNTO OTHERS: HUMAN
MOTIVE ++++++++++++++
Ø Then, J says, “Do to others whatever you would have them
do to you”
Ø This sentence seen as
summarizing all ethical teachings J’s given in Sermon on Mount
Ø Its OT variation would
be, “Love your neighbor as yourself”
Ø On one level, J gives
this as motivation 4 R behavior “Do 2
others what U‘d have them do 2 you”
Ø I would call this more
of a self-focused motive for ethical or moral behavior
DO UNTO OTHERS: DIVINE
MOTIVE +++++++++++++++
Ø Two chapters earlier, Mt
5, J gives more of divine, supernatural motive
Ø He’s been teaching
about love of enemies & concludes by saying, “So be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”
Ø Scripture scholars say
real impact of sentence is, “There must
be no limits to your goodness, as your heavenly Father’s goodness knows no
bounds”
Ø That becomes ultimate
ethical & moral norm
CONCLUSION +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø That, as Jesus says
today, is the “narrow gate” & “constricted road” that leads to life
Ø It’s narrow and
constricted only because so many take wide gate & broad road that seem 2 B
easy way out
Ø It’s time to choose
gates, knowing where each leads!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
