March 26
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.”
“Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.”
-Matthew 7:1-6
Reflection
Felipe: “It seems to me that Jesus Christ calls people dogs who interpret the Gospels only to screw their neighbor, only to defend their interests. We can’t give them this Gospel because then they’ll just make use of it to exploit people.”
Quique: “Saying for example that the kingdom of heaven is going to be in heaven and that it has nothing to do with this world.”
I said [Ernesto Cardenal]: “It seems then, that according to Jesus the Gospel message must not be given to everyone because it’s not for everyone.”
Felipe: “It seems to me that’s it. All poor people have to agree with the Gospel because it’s meant for their liberation. But doesn’t suit the middle class.”
Manuel: “But first we have to show them and try to explain to them.”
Felipe: “How are we going to preach liberation to someone who doesn’t want liberation because he’s an oppressor? There’s no sense in talking to him about that.”
Olivia: “It would be better instead for the exploiters not to hear these things. The Gospel is bound to make then furious and Christ knew this, and that’s why he tells us to be careful.”
From The Gospel in Solentiname, by Nicaraguan poet-priest Ernesto Cardenal. Cardenal wrote down the thoughts of the poor, in the region of Solentiname, on various gospel passages.
Action (Pray)
For those of us who are “middle class,” the above reading may feel like a conversation we were not meant to overhear. It is raw and unfiltered. But sometimes overheard conversations are gifts of truth about ourselves. Do we really want the liberation from Mammon that Christ promises?
Pray for your own heart that you will want all the freedom Christ has for you. Pray too for those who are suffering in order to make our lifestyles possible.
