Why swear oaths?

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Saturday, June 15, 2024

10th Week of Ordinary Time

Why swears oaths?

Introduction

Today’s first reading from the Book of Kings gives us a good example of the radical demands made on people whom God will send for a radical mission. Elisha is up to the call.

Gospel: Why do people require that at special occasions a statement be backed up by an oath? Is it because they doubt one another’s sincerity and truthfulness, particularly when it matters? And if God is 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.

Opening 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.

Reading 1: 1 Kings 19:19-21

Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat,
as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen;
he was following the twelfth.
Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said,
"Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,
and I will follow you."
Elijah answered, "Go back!
Have I done anything to you?"
Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them;
he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh,
and gave it to his people to eat.
Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 16:1b-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10

R. (see 5a) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Alleluia

Ps 119:36a, 29b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;
and favor me with your law.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Mt 5:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God's throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'
Anything more is from the Evil One."

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.

Intercessions

– For Christians, that they may be so reliable that there is no need for swearing oaths, we pray:

– For friends, that they may always be trustworthy and faithful, we pray:

– For all of us, that we may be faithful to the task God has given us in life, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God, almighty Father,
you spoke your creative word
and things and people existed;
you saw that your work was good.
Speak here in our midst your mighty word
and your Son will be present among us
as your faithful, reliable word.
Let him fill our hollow words to the brim
with goodness, honesty and peace,
that we may trust one another
and offer you all honor and praise
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Loyal and trustworthy God,
your Son has spoken to us
words that never pass away.
He filled his words with himself
and so he could be with us here.
Help us too, to fill again
our worn-out words with ourselves.
Let your own Son speak
in the words we say and the words we hear.
Let him become flesh again in our words,
that we may become free again
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

A few days ago, Paul told us that Jesus was always “Yes,” yes to the Father’s will, yes and affirming to people, reliable. May we too, be trustworthy and reliable, in our faith, our friendship, our given word, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Reflection

15 June 2024

Mathew 5: 33-37

The Power of Simple Words

Friends, have you ever noticed how our lives are shaped by the words we speak? Our promises, our oaths—they carry weight. But let's explore a different perspective today. Let's not focus on fancy promises; instead, let's appreciate the strength of being simple.

Jesus begins by acknowledging the ancient practice of making oaths. People would swear by heaven, earth, or even their own heads. He challenges us: Why complicate things? Jesus reminds us that all these grandiose oaths are meaningless in comparison to simple honesty.

When someone lacks confidence in what they say, they might feel compelled to make an oath, or others might push them to do so if there is a lack of trust. The remedy for a lack of confidence and trust is simple honesty. We should say "yes" when we mean it and "no" when we mean it.

The Gospel accounts recorded the evil impact of an oath that resulted in the death of John the Baptist. A drunken Herod swears to give anything, including half of his kingdom, to an immature adolescent daughter. Exploiting the man's oath, the cunning mother of the girl gets John the Baptist killed. Elaborate oaths can lead us astray, causing confusion, broken trust, and sometimes irreparable damage.

As we step into this day, let us remember that our words do matter. Be a person of integrity—someone whose 'yes' carries weight and whose 'no' is unwavering. Let simplicity be our strength, and watch how it transforms our relationships, our work, and our soul.

The Power of Simple Words - Youtube

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