Do Not Give Dogs What Is Holy

Power, right and privilege are holy things.

 

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Tuesday of 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, June 27th, 2023
Texts: Genesis 13:2.5-18; Psalm 15:2-5; Matthew 7:6. 12-14 

Jesus Christ warns us, today, not to give holy things to those who do not deserve them. He says, “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.” We see the truth of this instruction in priesthood, married life, Christian life and political affairs. There has been abuse of power, right and privilege. Power, right and privilege are holy things. If we give criminals right to gun, they will kill. Some parents have endangered the lives of their children by the rights and privileges they give them. 

The Sacraments of the Church are holy things some of us have abused. Keeping the Lord’s instruction, the Church instructs her children and do inquiries before she gives them Sacraments. Neverthless, some spouses are terrors in their marriage because they know marriage is for life. Doing whatever we like because marriage is for life is an abuse of sacrament of matrimony. We should make sacrifice to keep the sanctity of the sacrament. The same thing is also applied to Holy Orders. We should also keep the sanctity of Holy Communion and sacrament of confession.

Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them

We are not to give holy thing to those who do not deserve them because it destroys them. Hence, Jesus says, “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them”. As we do not want what we destroy us from people, so also we should not give it to others. Father Abram gives us example today. He asked Lot to pick first so as to avoid giving him undesirable field. If some of us were in his position might have used our right to get the better field.

The story father Abram and Lot confirms Jesus’s third instruction: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Lot chose a fertile land with people who were great sinners against the Lord. The land was later destroyed. Abram dwelt in a land not so much fertile but won God’s favour. We should always make a choice that encourages holiness, not matter the difficulties. God will always help us. 

Prayer  

God Almighty, grant us the fortitude to walk the path of holiness and the grace to stay away from sinful path; make our resolve to follow You firm, that we may not abuse the holy things. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke