Daily gospel

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel Wednesday 8 August 2018 

"I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15, 21

Many are asking what our approach as Christians should be regarding the chosen people of the Old Testament the Jewish people ? We can start from three different directions concerning  the people , nations who think differently !

1. One is  hatred , animosity because of real or imagined insults raking up the past, open or hidden disguised confrontation! Unfortunately our world is full of animosity, cold and not so cold wars ! Quite certainly these confrontations have no winners ! The one who wins the battle , not only will finish up with blood on their hands , but they will also lose their innocence , and their moral greatness will also be lost a well. Society never respected the executioners ! Jesus’ words are clear : ‘who lives by the sword dies by the sword!”

2. Then there is the policy of burying one’s head in the sand, when we try living enclosed in ghettoes , turning away from the others, living isolated ! I am not disturbing them, they should not be disturbing our everyday lives , our interests! Unfortunately in the world there is more and more of us , fewer quiet , cosy  corners , so because of this it is inevitable not to meet, the danger of confrontation, treading on one another’s foot!

3. The third way is the way Jesus Christ , the way of dialogue, trust, love !Jesus with pierced feet, pierced heart on the day of Easter encounters the disciples of Emmaus , two disappointed , disheartened Jewish men… With every step they get further and further away from Jerusalem, from  the apostles , from the values advocated by Christ ! Jesus carrying His wounds from Good Friday is not judging, not calling to count , not only suffering silently accompanies these people but He speaks so beautifully, wisely , that they themselves say later : “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us "Jesus’ teaching, His blessed presence gives strength to the disciples of Emmaus to turn around , at nighttime  to return to Jerusalem , to look for the apostles and not with hostility, neither with indifference , but joyfully waking up their companions declaring : God is alive , He has risen, He loves us, there is hope!

My dear brethren I like this third option , and this the way on which I would like to walk! I tried this divine way , I experienced that it is worthwhile and one can talk successfully with people who started out in a different direction ! I believe , that one has to sit down and talk with people, nations,  who set out towards other goals, other values and a deep and meaningful dialogue has to be started with them ! If I am a follower of Jesus Christ neither the open nor the hidden, disguised antisemitism can be my way ! I cannot  despise any single nation , people , denomination , I cannot regard them as my enemies, guilty, even less as a community that is despised, should be exterminated ! Jesus cries in font of the walls of Jerusalem, for His beloved people and died on the cross for every nation of the world!  If we would like to be transformed to the image , likeness of our redeeming God, then lets pray for the conversion of the Jewish people as well, and lets do everything that the Old Testament discovers that the God of the New Testament Jesus Christ is none other than that infinite Goodness and Love who called Abraham, Mose and the other prophets ! 

First and foremost lets put it into words and say it clearly that the community of love of one God in the Holy Trinity as proclaimed by Jesus Christ is much more , more beautiful, more promising more full of hope for us than the God of the Old Testament ! The God of the Old Testament is who He is, who condemns, the living and the dead ,He is whom man admires , adores in his infinite majesty! Looking deep down in my heart I feel  that I desire more than this , and based on the teachings of Christ I can bravely desire more, because the one  God of the New Testament  is the indissoluble alliance,  of three person that is pulsating, throbbing , living COMMUNITY of LOVE! My faith of the New Testament, my living hope keeping my actions in motion is not less than that knowledge , that despite our smallness, insignificance , the Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit , the Holy Trinity living in the Community of Love , invited me to His own table, His own company ! Yes we the people of the New Testament believe and profess that divine individuals accept us and want us to unite with them and each other in love in the Community of Saints in eternity ! For me personally this meeting , this community the kingdom of heaven , the eternal happiness , is the meaning and goal of my life ! Without the community of love of the Holy Trinity , nothing makes sense ! Because every other gift, blessing, riches is not enough , it is a cheap compromise, that one cannot and is not worthwhile to accept! Our soul is thirsting for God , for this community of love of the Holy Trinity , and not for power, money , wealth, splendour ! This faith proclaimed by Jesus Christ has to be said clearly, understandably to the Jewish people and every inhabitant of our world ! This is the fulfilment of all our desires the Unity in the community of love of the Holy Trinity, , the final goal of mankind , the living hope of conquering the force pulling us apart arising from our diversities ! 

With the love of a lesser brother,

Father Csaba

translated by dr k.e. 

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." He answered, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly.

Matthew 15:21-28