THERE is a forcefulness in this piece of Matthew’s gospel which is quite disturbing. By our standards, plucking out eyes and cutting off hands are extreme responses to our faults and the sinful aspects of our lives. It is easiest to focus on the section about being reconciled with our brother or sister which has its parallel in the saying “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger”.
If we look at what Jesus was saying in its totality the theme he illustrates with such disturbing examples is “take responsibility for acting”.
We should not blame the stand-off with the brother or sister on them and proclaim that they should come to us. It is our duty to go to them regardless of who was right or wrong.
If there is something sinful in our relationship with a man or woman, we should not blame it on them or make excuses. It is our responsibility to act and to deal with whatever is wrong in the relationship and in ourselves.
Making excuses for things we know are sinful and blaming others are ways we avoid taking responsibility for those parts of our character which disrupt relationships and hurt others. In essence we refuse to move on in our spiritual lives, giving ourselves absolution and proclaiming that others are the problem, not us.
But it can be tough letting go of emotions and desires – and often our own hurt – in order to grow in Christ and to bring peace into our relationships. The desire to do it is the starting point. A sincere prayer acknowledging what is wrong and a plea for divine assistance is the second step.
We can’t bring about this type of change of heart by ourselves, and if we think we can, the results are likely to be similar to the shallow virtues of the scribes and Pharisees. Opt for the deeper change by inviting Jesus into the process. He has made it abundantly clear in the gospel passage that dealing with sinfulness is a very important step for his followers.