If your right eye causes you to sin

2Cor 5,4-21; Ps 102; Mt 5,33-37
15 JUNE

The Word reveals the heart. A pious man and a pious word. Good man and good word. Holy man and holy word. Evil man and evil word. St. James reveals that the language of the bad man has its roots in hell and it is from it that draws the word out. The Book of Sirach urges us to be very prudent in every word uttered.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly, for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies. It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination wishes. In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers. Does a spring gush forth from the same opening both pure and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh (Jm 3,1-12).

Cursed be gossips and the double-tongued, for they destroy the peace of many. A meddlesome tongue subverts many, and makes them refugees among the peoples; It destroys walled cities, and overthrows powerful dynasties. A meddlesome tongue can drive virtuous women from their homes and rob them of the fruit of their toil; Whoever heeds it has no rest, nor can he dwell in peace. A blow from a whip raises a welt, but a blow from the tongue smashes bones; Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not as many as by the tongue. Happy he who is sheltered from it, and has not endured its wrath; Who has not borne its yoke nor been fettered with its chain; For its yoke is a yoke of iron and its chains are chains of bronze! Dire is the death it inflicts, besides which even the nether world is a gain; It will not take hold among the just nor scorch them in its flame, But those who forsake the Lord will fall victims to it, as it burns among them unquenchably! It will hurl itself against them like a lion; like a panther, it will tear them to pieces. As you hedge round your vineyard with thorns, set barred doors over your mouth; As you seal up your silver and gold, so balance and weigh your words. Take care not to slip by your tongue and fall victim to your foe waiting in ambush (Sir 28,13-26).

In Christ Jesus, the Christian has become love in the Father. His word must be the fruit of his love, it must be the fruit that comes from love to lead to love. Therefore, it must be a word of truth, justice and charity. He has become grace in Jesus Lord. His word must always produce grace of salvation and redemption. He has become communion in the Holy Spirit. His word must always create peace, reconciliation and great communion among men. This is why his yes must be yes, in truth. His no must be no in justice, in charity and in mercy.

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.

Those of the Christian are not “yes” or arbitrary “no”. They are “yes” and “no” generated in him by love and justice. To the right and to love one always says yes. To the unjust and the false one always says no. Jesus said yes to the cross. He said no to the denial of the Father. He always said yes to charity. He said no to egoism and the thoughts of the world.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that we say our “yes” and “no” according to truth and love.