Oppress no one (Homily for Saturday of the 15th week in Ordinary time year II July 20 2024
Homily for Saturday of the 15th week in Ordinary time year II July 20 2024 Micah 2:1-5; Psalm 10; Mathew 12:14-21 Oppress no one Today's readings offer both assurance and warning: the Lord stands with the poor and fights for their justice. To the poor, He promises justice even in the face of severe cruelty; to the rich, He warns against the illusion that their wealth places them above the law, allowing them to oppress the poor without consequence. This raises an important question: who are the rich and who are the poor? While financial status is a common measure, it is not the only one. A financially poor person can be rich in certain situations, and a wealthy person can be poor in others. Being rich means having opportunities in specific circumstances, while being poor means lacking those opportunities. Thus, anyone who uses their privileged position to exploit or make life difficult for another is guilty of oppression, regardless of their financial status. For example, a brickl