Mad Dogs and Swine
From June 30, 2018
The following is based on an inspirational homily delivered by Fr. Tom Hagan, OSFS.
Tuesday’s Gospel reading was from Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount. I am still contemplating it. It contained this line: “How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.” That line always reminds me of a film on made on peace and nonviolence with Fr. John Dear, the title of which was The Narrow Path. But I heard the Gospel on Tuesday in a different way. A few sentences earlier Jesus was telling his disciple not to give “what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine.” In a way, Jesus was teasing the disciples. Jews at the time considered non-Jews to be mad dogs or swine. For them, those who believed differently from them are to be avoided. But Jesus turned this idea upside down.