Sunday Reflection with Canon Robin Gibbons: 12 February 12023

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

William Blake's short and rather curious poem 'A Poison Tree' is about the corrupting power of anger which becomes something far more deadly and devious because it is not aired honestly, the poet and his foe both become enmeshed in something more deadly because its unseen poison takes over their lives. It's worth reading in full, so I will put it as part of our lectio, but the key is in contrast which we find in the first verse:

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

This is helpful when we examine the teaching of Jesus on anger in the gospel of this Sunday, what is being asked of us here is difficult, because we are told to turn our foes into our confidant, to 'tell out' our wrath, anger, hatred, at least to God as well as acknowledging it ourselves. That way we help short circuit the inevitable capacity of anger to become more deadly, to poison all we do. Honest dialogue, self examination of conscience are gifts that we have in the Church, but they are ours to begin with, not for another to tell us, Blake's second line opening, 'I told' is crucial, for it is in self-acknowledgement, in good self-discernment that our salvation starts to grow.

Let me put it in another way; Jesus is not ending Torah in this Gospel account, he is pushing it towards fulfilment and in so doing he is asking of his followers an integrity and truthfulness which has to be not only understood but learnt. If as he teaches the Law is summed up in that commandment to Love God and our neighbour as ourselves, the unpacking of that in any given situation requires care, for there are not only two protagonists (or parties if plural) but a third, the presence of the Divine One, before whom all will come to face judgement.

This is the real difference for us who are called Catholic-Christian, we are never totally alone, in us, about us, with us, the Triune God is operative and engaged. Therefore what we do needs reflection and also awareness of the consequences of our actions and thoughts. That odd word Jesus quotes; RAQA or RAKA may help, The teaching on divorce which follows on from that about anger shows this up well, it means 'you fool', but more than that for it says you are useless, empty, and of no value at all'. That is perhaps the definition of a slave; it is certainly how Christ is seen at his crucifixion, it is how Paul describes his compete self-identification and self-giving with the least of us all. The antidote is the humility of love through reconciliation, nothing less. As always we have the short pithy sayings of our holy ones to help us, Basil preaching on Humilty gives us something to try for this week: 'Never place yourself above anyone, not even great sinners. Humility often saves a sinner who has committed many transgressions'.(St. Basil the Great (+379) On Humility)

As a coda perhaps we can understand that what Jesus teaches us about anger, divorce and swearing oaths is bound up with a reflection of the consequences of what we do. Blake's poem started us off by pointing out that in the end honesty and integrity are crucial qualities both for oneself and in dealing with others, they wear down pride and open us to true humility. Jesus tells it as it is: 'Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'

Anything more is from the evil one'. Amen!

Lectio Divina

An illustration of RAQA (reika)

From the Babylonian Tannit 20 b. Sefaria

The Sages further taught in praise of the reed: A person should always be soft like a reed, and he should not be stiff like a cedar. An incident occurred in which Rabbi Eleazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, came from Migdal Gedor, from his rabbi's house, and he was riding on a donkey and strolling on the bank of the river. And he was very happy, and his head was swollen with pride because he had studied much Torah.

He happened upon an exceedingly ugly person, who said to him: Greetings to you, my rabbi, but Rabbi Eleazar did not return his greeting. Instead, Rabbi Eleazar said to him: Worthless [reika] person, how ugly is that man. Are all the people of your city as ugly as you? The man said to him: I do not know, but you should go and say to the Craftsman Who made me: How ugly is the vessel you made. When Rabbi Eleazar realized that he had sinned and insulted this man merely on account of his appearance, he descended from his donkey and prostrated himself before him, and he said to the man: I have sinned against you; forgive me. The man said to him: I will not forgive you until you go to the Craftsman Who made me and say: How ugly is the vessel you made.

He walked behind the man, trying to appease him, until they reached Rabbi Eleazar's city. The people of his city came out to greet him, saying to him: Greetings to you, my rabbi, my rabbi, my master, my master.

The man said to them: Who are you calling my rabbi, my rabbi? They said to him: To this man, who is walking behind you. He said to them: If this man is a rabbi, may there not be many like him among the Jewish people. They asked him: For what reason do you say this? He said to them: He did such and such to me. They said to him: Even so, forgive him, as he is a great Torah scholar.

He said to them: For your sakes I forgive him, provided that he accepts upon himself not to become accustomed to behave like this. Immediately, Rabbi Eleazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, entered the study hall and taught: A person should always be soft like a reed and he should not be stiff like a cedar, as one who is proud like a cedar is likely to sin.

Saint Basil

On Humility

The stern Pharisee, who in his over-weaning pride not only boasted of himself but also discredited the tax-collector in the presence of God, made his justice void by being guilty of pride. Instead of the Pharisee, the tax-collector went down justified, because he has given glory to God, the Holy One. He did not dare lift his eyes but sought only to plead for mercy. He accused himself by his posture, by striking his breast, and by entertaining no other motive except propitiation. Be on your guard, therefore, and bear in mind this example of severe loss sustained through arrogance. The one guilty of insolent behaviour suffered the loss of his justice and forfeited his reward by his bold self- reliance. He was judged inferior to a humble man and a sinner because in his self-exaltation he did not await the judgment of God but pronounced it himself. Never place yourself above anyone, not even great sinners. Humility often saves a sinner who has committed many transgressions.

William Blake

A Poison Tree

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I waterd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night.
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole,
When the night had veild the pole;
In the morning glad I see;
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.