Let Your Yes Be Yes
Introduction
Why do people require that at special occasions a statement be backed up by an oath? Is it that they doubt one another’s sincerity and truthfulness, particularly when it matters? And if God 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. And let the love of Christ impel us (Caritas Christi urget nos.)
1 Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Brothers and sisters: The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits. R.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion. R.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes. R.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us. R.
Alleluia: Psalm 119:36a, 29b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;
and favor me with your law.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 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.”
Commentary
The principal work of Christ as God’s emissary to the world was reconciliation. This is clear in Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, in which he speaks of our being ministers of reconciliation. In Christ, we have all died. In dying to the old unregenerated self, we have now put on a new life, by which we live no longer for ourselves but for God.
We now have the responsibility of proclaiming this to the world. God reconciles the world to himself in Christ because it is his principal work. He who knew no sin was made sinner for us, meaning that all the effects of sinful conduct have been heaped upon him, while he himself was innocent. By his vicarious atonement, the burden of sin has been lifted from our shoulders. In the midst of all manner of suffering and affliction, he remained the faithful ambassador.
Living in a new era with a new life, there is no need for some of the practices of the past. Oath taking was one of those practices. False oaths were clearly discredited. Now all oaths are excluded. When asked to testify, our answer itself is our testimony to the truth. Truth flows from the new life in Christ that we possess, not from any oath or formulaic affirmation of the truth. Moreover, it is said that the more the politicians swear by the Bible and the Quran, the more they defile the holy books. Your word is you. So is your action.
Blessing
We could end this celebration by saying again: God is with you! Don’t forget this, especially when your life or your task is difficult. God is there, and in him you can trust. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!