July 12 – Friday – Be cunning and Innocent – 😃😄 wow So Strange? – Wilson SVD

 

Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time

Hosea 14: 2-10; Matthew 10: 16-23

In today’s gospel we find Jesus instructing his disciples. He cautions them to be careful as they are vulnerable. Jesus asks them to be cunning like the serpent and innocent like the dove. Serpents and doves are mentioned often all throughout the scripture and so, the disciples of Jesus might have been familiar with these two creatures. At first glance, Jesus’ comparison of these two creatures might surprise us. These two creatures contrast each other in their attitude; cunningness and innocence. Jesus wants both of these aspects to be present in our lives.

The serpent’s cunningness: the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, in Exodus, the staffs of Moses and Aaron turned into serpents, god sends fiery serpents in Numbers 21. The serpent was crafty and shrewd in Genesis while trapping Eve. The Greek version of Matthew 10: 16 is  - φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις  - wise/prudent like the serpent. The Greek word  φρόνιμος – phronimos, means ‘wise, intelligent, prudent, sensible and insightful’. And not cunningness in the negative sense of the word.  The serpent is cunning because it uses these faculties to harm someone. Hence, Jesus’ advice to the disciples to be ‘as wise/prudent as a serpent – has to be understood that Jesus does not mean that the disciples use these faculties of wisdom for malicious intent as the serpent used in Genesis. Instead, Jesus recommends that the disciples cultivate these faculties and use them promptly while encountering the malicious people and life-destructive systems of the world.  It simply means respond to wolves with an insight; cunningness/intelligence without a malice. Jesus handled the Pharisees, Sadducees and political leaders prudently; Jesus knew well when to react, when to respond and when to quietly sneak out.  

Innocent as doves: The dove is presented as beautiful, harmless and innocent throughout the scripture. The dove appears in the story of Noah’s ark, the spirit of God descends in the form of a dove upon Jesus at his baptism. The advice to be innocent like the dove is an invitation to be blameless and to be careful not to repay evil with evil. Innocence does not mean victimhood. We Christians, are called to be assertive and not to be submissive under the pretext of docile innocent Christians. Prudence ought to be our armour in times of political, social and structural crisis.

I am sending you: Jesus says to his disciples that ‘I am sending you.’ Jesus is the sender and so the protection is already assured. The sender equips the messenger. The disciples/Christians are to expect trials and persecution. It’s worth taking the risk of being the disciple of Jesus; when we are broken, we participate in the brokenness of our Lord, when we are persecuted, we participate in the persecution of our Lord, when we are falsely accused, we participate in the unjust condemnation of our Lord.   Prudence and innocence will guide us through any  wolves.

Our Takeaway

1. Every Christian and everyone aspiring to be priest and religious is admonished to cultivate this faculty of prudence. So, we learn to respond to wolves with an insight; cunningness/intelligence without a malice.

2. Innocence is not victimhood. Christians are called to be assertive and not to be submissive under the pretext of docile innocent Christians. It is time that we stand up for ourselves, if we do not who else will stand for us.

3. It’s worth taking the risk of being a disciple of Jesus. It’s not a romantic journey but a path breaking and path making journey.

 

Wilson SVD

Divine Word Missionary