WHY SWEAR OATHS?
Today’s first reading from the Book of Kings gives us a good example of the radical demands made on people God will send for a radical mission. Elisha is up to the call.
Why do people require that at special occasions a statement be backed up by an oath? Is it that they doubt one another’s sincerity and truthfulness, particularly when it matters? And if God invoked in witness of the truth, is it always the truth that is sworn to? In the mind of Jesus, Christians should always be so reliable that there is no need for swearing oaths. We should mean what we say at all occasions.
First Reading: 1 Kings 19:19-21
Elijah went straight out and found Elisha son of Shaphat in a field where there were twelve pairs of yoked oxen at work plowing; Elisha was in charge of the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak over him.
Elisha deserted the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please! Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye—then I’ll follow you.”
“Go ahead,” said Elijah, “but, mind you, don’t forget what I’ve just done to you.”
So Elisha left; he took his yoke of oxen and butchered them. He made a fire with the plow and tackle and then boiled the meat—a true farewell meal for the family. Then he left and followed Elijah, becoming his right-hand man.
Gospel: Matthew 5:33-37
“And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.
Prayer
Reliable God,
your Son was born for this
and for this he came into this world,
to bear witness to the truth.
Count us among those who listen to him
and who want to be honest seekers of the truth.
Help us to say a firm no to all that is evil
and make our yes a firm yes
to all that is good and worthy,
by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Video available at: bibleclaret.org
