Encountering God and World in Scriptures

Light of Truth

Lectio Divina – 30

Fr Martin Kallunkal

Reading    “Why not judge for yourselves what is upright? For example: when you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer and the officer have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny” (Lk. 12:57-59).

Reflection    Normally, the result of a court procedure involves, at least, two possibilities: acquittal and conviction. But, Jesus confirms that anyone going to the court is going to be convicted for certain. This indicates that Jesus is not talking about the court procedures we are familiar with in cities down here.  He is talking about the court in the city of God. “Going to the court with your opponent” is a very instructive parable that has different layers of meaning. Following the interpretation given by of St Ambrose, let us take four questions for our reflection: Who is the opponent? Which is the court? Who is the judge? What does it mean to reach a settlement out of court? First, that which tempts us to commit sin is our opponent. Devil, of course, is the ultimate adversary, as St Peter’s warning indicates: “your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). We have to be definitely on guard against the devil; but this should not lead us, on the one hand, to exteriorize evil, and, on the other hand, to overlook the evil within each one of us. The most intimate enemy of ours is our own bad conscience that justifies our evil thoughts. The filthy inner mind, which troubles us now with the perverse thoughts that well up therein, will act as a witness against us on the last judgment. Second, the final judgment is the court no one can avoid. Third, as St Paul clearly states, “God, through Jesus Christ, judges all human secrets” (Rom. 2:16). Fourth, in order to “settle with the enemy on the way” two things are necessary: (a) identifying the enemy, and (b) disengaging oneself from it completely. Jesus proposes this way of settling with the enemy because we are still on the way. As we know, St Luke’s addressees are the people of God who are on the journey to Jerusalem. We have time to disengage ourselves from all evil intentions and resultant actions until the moment of our death. But, as some ancient sage reasoned, since we do not know the time of our death, we need to disengage ourselves from evil immediately.

Prayer    Help me, Lord, to cleanse my mind.  Engrave your law in my heart one more time. Rekindle my conscience with the flame of your holy love so that I make my choices in the daylight of your wisdom.

Contemplation    Recall to mind the promise of our Father: “I shall bring them remedy and cure; I shall cure them and reveal a new order of peace and loyalty to them” (Jer. 33:6). Enter with trust into profound moments of silence and tranquillity. Allow God to purify your heart and establish a new order of peace.

Action    Identify the most afflictive thought and related action in your life. Realize that your bad conscience in this regard is your worst enemy. Now, disengage yourself from that thought. Empower your will with Jesus’ words, “If your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell” (Mat. 5:29).

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