BREAK THE SPIRAL OF EVIL
It is the continuous temptation of people to get what we want, if necessary by unjust means and by exploiting others, like Ahab expropriating the vineyard of Naboth.
Jesus tells us not to repay the unjust by revenge. “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is not Christian. We must rather suffer injustice and let people take advantage of us, at least when the injustice is done against us. But other parts of the scriptures tell us to defend others if they are wronged, like the poor, and to fight injustice through goodness and forgiveness. That is how we must break the spiral of evil.
First Reading: 1 Kings 21:1-16
And then, to top it off, came this: Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel that bordered the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. One day Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard so I can use it as a kitchen garden; it’s right next to my house—so convenient. In exchange I’ll give you a far better vineyard, or if you’d prefer I’ll pay you money for it.”
But Naboth told Ahab, “Not on your life! So help me God, I’d never sell the family farm to you!” Ahab went home in a black mood, sulking over Naboth the Jezreelite’s words, “I’ll never turn over my family inheritance to you.” He went to bed, stuffed his face in his pillow, and refused to eat.
Jezebel his wife came to him. She said, “What’s going on? Why are you so out of sorts and refusing to eat?”
He told her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite. I said, ‘Give me your vineyard—I’ll pay you for it or, if you’d rather, I’ll give you another vineyard in exchange.’ And he said, ‘I’ll never give you my vineyard.’”
Jezebel said, “Is this any way for a king of Israel to act? Aren’t you the boss? On your feet! Eat! Cheer up! I’ll take care of this; I’ll get the vineyard of this Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”
She wrote letters over Ahab’s signature, stamped them with his official seal, and sent them to the elders in Naboth’s city and to the civic leaders. She wrote “Call for a fast day and put Naboth at the head table. Then seat a couple of stool pigeons across from him who, in front of everybody will say, ‘You! You blasphemed God and the king!’ Then they’ll throw him out and stone him to death.”
And they did it. The men of the city—the elders and civic leaders—followed Jezebel’s instructions that she wrote in the letters sent to them. They called for a fast day and seated Naboth at the head table. Then they brought in two stool pigeons and seated them opposite Naboth. In front of everybody the two degenerates accused him, “He blasphemed God and the king!” The company threw him out in the street, stoned him mercilessly, and he died.
When Jezebel got word that Naboth had been stoned to death, she told Ahab, “Go for it, Ahab—take the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for your own, the vineyard he refused to sell you. Naboth is no more; Naboth is dead.”
The minute Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he set out for the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite and claimed it for his own.
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-42
“Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
Prayer
Lord our God,
the injustice found in the world upsets us.
Forgive us the wrongs we have committed
and do not allow us to add
to the evil in the world
by exploiting our brothers and sisters
and using them for our own purposes.
Rather teach and help us
to stand up for integrity and truth,
not to take revenge
but out of the goodness of our hearts.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Video available at: bibleclaret.org
