What We Do On Monday

Cardinal Tomas O’ Fiaich (Fee) was the primate, or head man, of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland from 1977 to 1990. In 1987 he attended a Synod of Bishops in Rome at which it was hoped that, among other things, the true role of the laity could be determined. In an effort to emphasize the importance of the continued involvement of the laity, he stood up and made what has become known as one of the shortest and yet most profound addresses ever made to any Synod of Bishops. His eminence stood and said; “Paddy O’ Shea went to Mass each Sunday and when he died he went to Hell for what he did each Monday”.Cardinal O’ Fiaich is pointing out that there is more to salvation and being a follower of Christ than just fulfilling the Sunday obligation of attending Mass. Partaking in the Sacrament of the Mass is an intrinsic part of our faith. The Eucharist is described in the Catholic Catechism as being the source and summit of Christian life.

Reception of Christ in the Eucharist is an opportunity for us to receive the Lord and obtain strength for the mission ahead. The heavy lifting on our part is to bring Jesus into our homes, into our work place and into our lives. This challenge starts in earnest when we leave Mass. And if the challenge of shouldering the cross of Christ through the week isn't enough, Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel that there’s even more work to do. Besides carrying the light of Jesus into the world, He tells us that we must love our enemy, pray for those who persecute us, turn the other cheek to those who offend us and we should strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. 

But why should we love our enemy? In Mathew’s Gospel the word used for love in the Greek text is agape. The word agape does not refer to the emotional love we have for special people in our lives. Rather, the word suggests that we recognize and honor the dignity that every human being possesses, thus seeing those around us as our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Some have interpreted this Gospel passage, particularly turning the other cheek when struck, to suggest an element of weakness in the resilience of the followers of Christ. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus is telling us that when the going gets tough, when the weight of his cross seems extreme, things are going to get even tougher. Nobody understood or embraced this challenge more than Saint Lawrence, one of the first deacons of the church. After his assailants had placed him on a metal grill to be burned to death he yelled out, “I’m done on this side, turn me over!”

Acceptance of the cross of Christ on this earth is not a call to charge up the hill of life and tackle the tough issues of forgiveness, abortion, sexual immorality, hatred, discrimination and so on. Acceptance of the cross of Christ on this earth is a call to lead the charge up that hill.

With the exception of fulfilling the weekly obligation, Cardinal O’Fiaich’s fictitious Paddy O”Shea failed miserably at carrying the light of Christ into the world and hence paid the price when "Monday" came around.

Today is the seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. It follows that tomorrow is Monday, the start of another week in our lives. Let it not be the Monday of failure that the character in Cardinal O’Fiaich’s address experienced. Let it not be the Monday where we bury the light of Christ within ourselves only to be exposed briefly a week from now. Instead, let it be the Monday of success where each one of us brings the light of Christ into the world through forgiveness and compassion to our fellowman. Let it be the Monday where we strive to be holy as our Heavenly Father is holy. And yes, let it be the Monday where we turn the other cheek, not in an apathetic, weak and surrendering fashion, but recognizing that when forging and tempering the sword - it must be struck. So too, in our tenacity and resilience, will we be forged and tempered as weapons of Christ against the challenges, the difficulties and the evil of this world.

Deacon Brendan Brides