Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mt 5:38-48
February 19, 2023

Have you ever gone to the grocery store JUST to buy a loaf of bread or maybe a quart of milk only to walk out after spending $40.00 on things you really didn’t need AND without what you made the trip for? I have!

OR…have you ever wasted an hour hunting for your car keys only to find them “hiding in plain view?” I have!

Maybe you’ve hurried to get to a doctor appointment on time, discovering upon arrival that you’re a week early. I have embarrassed myself that way.

As the old expression goes: My memory isn’t what it used to be!

However, it is not so bad (THANK GOD!) that I am unaware of the fact that little things are “slipping my mind.” So, when I heard about a book written by TV celebrity and neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta, MD, titled: 12 Weeks to a Shaper You…A Guided Program…Build a Better Brain at Any Age…I bought it. It was worth the money because I found some comfort and reassurance in the first few pages.

Research has established that we probably pay attention to only 60 to 70 percent of all that’s in front of us. Because the rest of our daily experience doesn’t necessarily fill or contribute to the way we see our life’s narrative, we ignore it.

As I understand it, memory’s most powerful purpose is to reinforce our own life’s narrative, THE STORY OF US. So, if some minor detail happens to slip our mind, it’s okay, because a healthy brain is one that remembers the important things, while at the same time forgets the trivial.

Dr. Gupta references a recent discovery of a so-called “forgetting neuron” in our brains, which somehow facilitates the process of “forgetting.” And yes, forgetting is just as important as remembering, and can even help us sharpen our brains and make room for new – and more valuable – information. IN ORDER TO REMEMBER, WE HAVE TO FORGET…TO SOME EXTENT.

At this point, you might be thinking that more than my memory is failing me! How can any of this have anything whatsoever to do with our Readings?

Well, think about it.

Isn’t Jesus telling us that when we are the victim of some TRIVIAL OFFENSE… a rude remark, a hurtful comment, a social “slap in the face” …ANYTHING that really doesn’t affect or have any significant impact on “our story” …we should put our “forgetting neurons“ to work…and forget about it?

Isn’t He telling us that when we extend ourselves to others in some way…we should forget about what it might be costing us and rise to the occasion with extraordinary generosity?

Isn’t the core message in this admittedly challenging Gospel passage to reinforce our own life’s narrative, THE STORY OF US, by making room for what is truly important?

By doing our best to forget those things that we hang on to…those dark or selfish feelings that do harm to our spiritual health and well-being…aren’t we eliminating detractions from “our own life’s narrative”? When we forget the trivial, aren’t we better able to remember that THE STORY OF US IS THE STORY OF CHRIST?

The purpose of Dr. Gupta’s book is to encourage people of all ages to improve “brain health.” Over the course of 12 weeks, he proposes ways to “A Sharper You!” As you might well suspect, this includes recommendations about diet and exercise…and stress control. He sums things up with the suggestion: WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE HEART IS GOOD FOR THE BRAIN.

Can’t we add to that by saying: WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE HEART IS GOOD FOR THE BRAIN…AND ALSO GOOD FOR OUR SOULS?

We are about to begin the Season of Lent…SIX WEEKS TO A MORE PERFECT YOU!

This spiritual program includes diet, exercise, and stress reduction. We are called to fast and abstain from those things that have gained too much control over us and are detrimental to our health, both spiritual and physical. We are challenged to exercise charity by giving without counting the cost. We can accomplish stress reduction by intensifying our prayer time. We can improve our spiritual health…no matter what our age…by forgetting what adds nothing to our stories as followers of Jesus Christ. The more we forget what is of little consequence, the easier it is to REMEMBER THAT WE ARE DUST AND TO DUST WE WILL RETURN.

But in the meantime, The Lord encourages us to strive to be perfect…perfect …just as God is perfect.