I CANNOT LIVE AS IF THE OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT EXIST

A reflection from Mt 5, 20-26

Matthew presents Jesus as the "new Moses" and all that refers to Christ brings the brand of novelty: the Mount of Beatitudes is the new Mount Sinai; the Beatitudes are the New Discourse on the Commandments; the brotherhood is the new justice, which overcomes the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees; his body is the new temple. In the speech of Jesus there is not a rupture with what the ancients used to think, but a continuity, interpreting in a new way the true meaning of what was said. Jesus’ aim is to recover the original plan of God. Until the appearance of Jesus, the revealing experience as “word of God” was related to the writings of the Old Testament. All attentions are turned to them, established as norm of life. With Jesus, the things begin to change. The early Christians can even make reference to the ancient writings, but are the teachings of Jesus, which subsequently become norm even for the Old Testament itself.

Even though Jesus has authority to speak, fulfilling with what was revealed before, he does not despise the writings of the Old Testament; on the contrary, he encourages their appreciation and fulfilment (Mt 5, 17-20). But the hardness of hearts and the arbitrary interpretations of the original Law led Jesus to state: "However I say to you..." From then matter the explanation that he gives about what was said. In Matthew, justice means God's will. And God's will is that the people should be generous, going further of what has been established by law, concerning charity and reconciliation. Gradually the disciples of Jesus were realizing that Jesus’ desire was to establish a new relationship with God and with others. The benchmark for this could not be the human justice - so limited and sometimes so unfair on its criteria - but in the divine justice based on love and mercy.

In Jesus everything becomes new, and to manifest this novelty to the world, the new disciples of Jesus need more fraternity than physical spaces sumptuous. The true worship to God happens in relationship with others. I cannot live as if the other people do not exist. It is necessary to stay vigilant because perhaps we are being homicidal and we don’t perceive. In this context, I don’t need to get a gun to kill another. I can kill him through the relationship with him. The anger that we have for someone is a real homicide. The contempt is the beginning. The gossip against someone takes his dignity. It is not possible to relate well with God while we don’t reconcile ourselves with whom we have offended or with who offended us. The lack of reconciliation between members goes little by little decreeing the death of the community. I shouldn’t expect that the other comes to make up with me; I am the one who should take the initiative. I do not choose the people with whom I should live; simply get them as gifts of God's grace. The Tenderness, the fraternal correction and reconciliation are basic conditions that the people expect from me so that they should not look for it out what they don’t find with the community.

Pe. Degaaxé

Revision: Brother Cipriano