Jun 6, 2025 Written by 

The perfection of Gratis, the deficiency of footstools

Clear and clean

(Mt 5:33-37)

 

«Yes when it is yes, No when it is no». There is no need to give strength to trust.

 

Every oath - even sacred ones - is a loophole that does not heal an already dull reality.

The theatre of bombastic formulas only admits the conviction that the Other cannot be fully trusted.

Total transparency in relationships does not need stools to support it. 

It is ludicrous to try to foster reciprocity by inventing the aid of the oath, which reinforces a person's word with something greater than him [capable of punishing in the event of non-compliance; then, be it as it may].

Good relationships, the ideal of justice, credit, and our whole life, come to perfection in a clear way.

There is no need to go round and round, to become artificial, to lean on other cautions that then renege on their words, even if they are well and perfectly staged.

 

Let us come to the theological point: what counts for the Father is the Person, not his symbolic expressions or his 'merits' - fake props to the you-for-you, to be set up in the window to hijack it.

Face to face is worth the whole lot: far more than what sounds by ear, far more than the accounting of what woman and man have fulfilled.

Our strong loyalty before God is not there; indeed, we need it. It is useless to hide the dust under a carpet of high-sounding mottos and claptrap.

Even the pile of “perfectly” absolved works of law provides no support.

In fact, the scaffolding may seem lofty and phenomenal, but it is an epidermal thing (often unfortunately insincere: castles of paper and papier-mâché) with double goal.

 

The Father is impressed by his creaturely masterpiece, by the frank heart of woman and man; not by the smoke in the eyes of impersonal hype set up for the purpose.

Nor does He allow himself to be blandened by platitudes of ritual expressions, acronyms, catchphrases; or even by our “heroic” fulfilments that risk undermining the character and Calling by Name.

 

There is nothing higher than our 'face'; the rest is cunning and lies.  Very dangerous means.

The Puritan laymen used to say: «The greater the forms, the lesser the truth». Not: give to believe.

Actions, behaviour, crisp words. This is what it's worth. 

In short, we must not 'improve' to external models and facsimiles - nor set up more events - except with his ‘Gratuity’, far more reliable, permanent, effective, than our [homologating and sometimes vanity] observances.

The power we have in our dowry cannot even affect the natural colour of a hair; this is the reality - behind the grand scenes we put in place to avoid admitting that... something is wrong.

Integrity that counts is quiet, transparent, spontaneous, forthright: it cannot be our stuff. Useless to make and remake 'oaths' to deceive even God.

 

 

To internalise and live the message:

 

Did you find yourself a merchant at the last fair? Have you ever expressed yourself as a forger?

 

 

[Saturday, 10th wk. in O.T. 14 June 2025]

142 Last modified on Friday, 06 June 2025 06:05
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

Jesus contrasts the ancient prohibition of perjury with that of not swearing at all (Matthew 5: 33-38), and the reason that emerges quite clearly is still founded in love: one must not be incredulous or distrustful of one's neighbour when he is habitually frank and loyal, and rather one must on the one hand and on the other follow this fundamental law of speech and action: "Let your language be yes if it is yes; no if it is no. The more is from the evil one" (Mt 5:37) [John Paul II]
Gesù contrappone all’antico divieto di spergiurare, quello di non giurare affatto (Mt 5, 33-38), e la ragione che emerge abbastanza chiaramente è ancora fondata nell’amore: non si deve essere increduli o diffidenti col prossimo, quando è abitualmente schietto e leale, e piuttosto occorre da una parte e dall’altra seguire questa legge fondamentale del parlare e dell’agire: “Il vostro linguaggio sia sì, se è sì; no, se è no. Il di più viene dal maligno” (Mt 5, 37) [Giovanni Paolo II]
And one thing is the woman before Jesus, another thing is the woman after Jesus. Jesus dignifies the woman and puts her on the same level as the man because he takes that first word of the Creator, both are “God’s image and likeness”, both; not first the man and then a little lower the woman, no, both. And the man without the woman next to him - both as mother, as sister, as bride, as work partner, as friend - that man alone is not the image of God (Pope Francis)
E una cosa è la donna prima di Gesù, un’altra cosa è la donna dopo Gesù. Gesù dignifica la donna e la mette allo stesso livello dell’uomo perché prende quella prima parola del Creatore, tutti e due sono “immagine e somiglianza di Dio”, tutti e due; non prima l’uomo e poi un pochino più in basso la donna, no, tutti e due. E l’uomo senza la donna accanto – sia come mamma, come sorella, come sposa, come compagna di lavoro, come amica – quell’uomo solo non è immagine di Dio (Papa Francesco)
Only one creature has already scaled the mountain peak: the Virgin Mary. Through her union with Jesus, her righteousness was perfect: for this reason we invoke her as Speculum iustitiae. Let us entrust ourselves to her so that she may guide our steps in fidelity to Christ’s Law (Pope Benedict)
Una sola creatura è già arrivata alla cima della montagna: la Vergine Maria. Grazie all’unione con Gesù, la sua giustizia è stata perfetta: per questo la invochiamo Speculum iustitiae. Affidiamoci a lei, perché guidi anche i nostri passi nella fedeltà alla Legge di Cristo (Papa Benedetto)
Jesus showed us with a new clarity the unifying centre of the divine laws revealed on Sinai […]  Indeed, in his life and in his Paschal Mystery Jesus brought the entire law to completion.  Uniting himself with us through the gift of the Holy Spirit, he carries with us and in us the “yoke” of the law, which thereby becomes a “light burden” (Pope Benedict)
Gesù ci ha mostrato con una nuova chiarezza il centro unificante delle leggi divine rivelate sul Sinai […] Anzi, Gesù nella sua vita e nel suo mistero pasquale ha portato a compimento tutta la legge. Unendosi con noi mediante il dono dello Spirito Santo, porta con noi e in noi il "giogo" della legge, che così diventa un "carico leggero" (Papa Benedetto)
The light of our faith, in giving of oneself, does not fade but strengthens. However it can weaken if we do not nourish it with love and with charitable works. In this way the image of light complements that of salt. The Gospel passage, in fact, tells us that, as disciples of Christ, we are also “the salt of the earth” (Pope Francis)

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