(Matthew 23.23, 24).<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\nNevertheless, Jesus pointed out to them a fundamental defect: “You have neglected the weightier matters of the law\u2014justice, mercy, good faith! These you should have practiced without neglecting the others” (Matthew 23.23, 24).<\/em> They elaborate heavy burdens (of precepts and laws) and lay them on the shoulders of the people, “but will they lift a finger to move them?” (Matthew 23.3,4)<\/em><\/p>\nThe Pharisees, structured into the system they created for themselves\u2014well to do, well known, and self-justified in religion\u2014are confident and feel assured that God is on their side. They do not wish to listen to Jesus because his message is disconcerting; it demands a conversion\u2014leading them away from the security the law appears to give, to the Spirit of a universal Love that is superior to all law (Matthew 5.43-48).<\/em><\/p>\nIt is not surprising that the Pharisees and Scribes murmur and complain and ridicule Jesus, defame him, conspire intrigues and cunning interviews with him, try to trap him, obliging him to take sides either with the Roman occupation forces or with the resistance, attempt to arrest him and even kill him. Knowing all this, Jesus is not intimidated; he continues to speak and to ask discerning, disconcerting questions.<\/p>\n
In his attitudes, Jesus is incarnating the kingdom among us. His miracles are signs of the kingdom that is already in ferment. A process of liberation is taking place within human history. Jesus approaches all classes of people especially the poor, the despised and marginalized, all those who are alienated socially and religiously. He spends time with them because he is realizing the will of God towards the dispossessed, the sinful, and those who even think they may be excluded from his love and mercy.<\/p>\n
\nJesus approaches all classes of people especially the poor, the despised and marginalized, all those who are alienated socially and religiously. He spends time with them because he is realizing the will of God towards the dispossessed, the sinful, and those who even think they may be excluded from his love and mercy.<\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
By his actions, Jesus brings a new kind of solidarity and the possibility of more profound human relationships between people. His whole life leads us into becoming more truly human persons. His project is to liberate us from greed, envy, hatred, oppression, everything that destroys or divides human beings. He proclaims the Lord’s year of grace for those who are concretely the victims of misfortune: it is the poor, the suffering, the hungry, and the persecuted that are called “blessed.”<\/p>\n
Jesus’ stand against vengeance comes from his profound insight into human reality and history. Among us there will always be power structures based on domination and coercion. But these should not induce us to adopt a similar approach nor to respond in like manner. It is the power of love that is capable of living with contradictions and overcoming them from within: this power of love is what Jesus relies on to reconcile us with one another and with God.<\/p>\n
Fr. Justin MacInnis was ordained to Scarboro Missions in 1963. His first assignment was to Brazil where he served for 18 years among Indigenous Amazonian peoples. On returning to Canada he was assigned to Edmonton to work with First Nations people.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A reflection by Fr. Justin MacInnis, S.F.M. (1933-2012) The conversion and the liberation offered by Jesus are founded on a tolerant love that does not discriminate. It is easier to live within laws and prescriptions that anticipate and determine everything. It is more difficult to make love the disposition for each moment. This calls for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4888,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4886"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4886"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4886\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4902,"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4886\/revisions\/4902"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4888"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4886"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scarboromissions.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}