From: 1 Kings 19:19-21
The call of Elisha
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Commentary:
19-21. Elishas response to Elijahs call is quite exemplary: he leaves everything
behind and puts himself at the disposal of the prophet. That will be how the apos-
tles respond to Christ (cf. Mt 4:20, 22; etc.), and it should be how anyone responds
when the Lord calls him or her to a mission which involves leaving everything. But
the call issued by Jesus is more pressing than Elijahs, as can be seen from the
Gospel passage where Jesus, in response to someone who says, “I will follow
you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home,” replies, “No one who
puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:61-
62). Obedience to a call involves a radical self-surrender: “Detach yourself from
people and things until you are stripped of them. For, says Pope St. Gregory, the
devil has nothing of his own in this world, and naked he comes to battle. If you go
clothed to fight him, you will soon be pulled to the ground: for he will have some-
thing to catch you by” (St. J. Escriva, The Way, 149).
The name “Elisha” means “My God saves” and it epitomizes this prophet, just as
the name “Elijah” catches the essence of that prophets message: “My God is the
Lord.”
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Matthew 5:33-37
Jesus and His Teaching, the Fulfillment of the Law (Continuation)
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Commentary:
33-37. The Law of Moses absolutely prohibited perjury or violation of oaths (Exo-
dus 20:7; Numbers 30:3; Deuteronomy 23:22). In Christ’s time, the making of
sworn statements was so frequent and the casuistry surrounding them so intri-
cate that the practice was being grossly abused. Some rabbinical documents
of the time show that oaths were taken for quite unimportant reasons. Parallel
to this abuse of oath-taking there arose no less ridiculous abuses to justify non-
fulfillment of oaths. All this meant great disrespect for the name of God. How-
ever, we do know from Sacred Scripture that oath-taking is lawful and good in
certain circumstances: “If you swear, ‘As the Lord lives’, in truth, in justice, and
in uprightness, then nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him shall
they glory (Jeremiah 4:2).
Jesus here lays down the criterion which His disciples must apply in this connec-
tion. It is based on re-establishing, among married people, mutual trust, nobility
and sincerity. The devil is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Therefore, Christ’s
Church must teach that human relationships cannot be based on deceit and in-
sincerity. God is truth, and the children of the Kingdom must, therefore, base
mutual relationships on truth. Jesus concludes by praising sincerity. Throughout
His teaching He identifies hypocrisy as one of the main vices to be combatted
(cf., e.g., Matthew 23:13-32), and sincerity as one of the finest virtues (cf. John
1:47).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.