Fridays with Jesus

Episode 32

There was a security guard who is very committed with his job. He was always punctual and worked with enthusiasm for 13 hours straight. However, the company unjustly pays him below the minimum wage and never gave him his overtime salary. Then the once vibrant security guard turned sour and negative. Until one day, he came to work drunk; using the issued shotgun and pistol, he killed the owner and everyone in the building. When bodies fell before the security guard, only then he realized the gravity of the crime he did.

Perhaps in our lifetime we have heard people spoke like this, "Kung hindi lang kasalanan ang pumatay napatay ko na siya (If killing is not a sin, I would have killed him/her.)" We frequently hear these kinds of messages because most of us have buried hatred in our hearts. Also, we think that hatred is normal because we are humans. It even appears that the society implies, "It's okay to hate but just don't kill." However, we do not recognize that when hatred blows up in us, it appears in an overwhelming manner. Before we can get even, we already ended up restless, sad, and empty. The question remains: is it enough not to kill?

I guess we can draw out three powerful points in the gospel today (Matthew 5:20-26). First, when Jesus reminded the people to have a righteousness above the Pharisees it meant that since our human law is never enough, we have to submit to the law of God. Second, when Jesus presented that even mere hating is punishable in the eyes of God, it meant that God demands highly not of our dignity as humans but of our being sons and daughters of Him. Third, when Jesus spoke that we have to make peace with one another, no matter how difficult it may be, it only meant that God wants us to be truly happy in our act of surrender. May we never forget that only in God we could find true peace. Amen.

TGIFY-Reflection #32
(Thank God It's Fri Yey!)
March 6, 2020