Commentary on the Gospel of
Read:
David gets yet another opportunity to eliminate the enemy, King Saul. But David lets him live, acknowledging that Saul’s consecration came from God, even when Saul did not live up to its billing. Paul contrasts the two Adams but reminds us that we carry both of them within us. Jesus defines love as going beyond the mere call of duty and being generous without distinction between friend or foe.
Reflect:
In his play No Exit (Huis Clos), Jean-Paul Sartre famously remarked: “Hell is other people.” The opposite could also be true: “Heaven is other people.” It all depends upon what you want to see and experience in the other. As David saw, we could see God’s anointing in the other, even when the life of the other seems to contradict it. As Paul suggests, we could look into the other and see the image of the New Adam even when the Old Adam seems to run amok. Such perspective will help us do what Jesus wants us to do: Love even our enemies, be generous with everyone, do not judge but forgive, and share our life generously.
Pray:
“Lord, teach us to love as you love us.”
Act:
Reach out and reconcile with someone who has hurt you deeply.
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7th SUNDAY in Ordinary Time - "Love your enemies".
The Lord on this Sunday, invites us to an important recommendation: "Forgive and you will be forgiven". The protomartyr of Christianity, St. Stephen, prayed to God while he was being stoned to death: "Lord, receive my spirit and do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7,59-60). The reason why Jesus proposes us to practice the sublime law of forgiveness is the following: "Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate". The generous kindness that God shows to all, even to those who are unworthy of it, is the model for us to imitate. St. Paul reminds the Christians in Ephesus: "Forgive one another as God forgave you in Christ" (Eph.4,32). (Eph.4,32)
On the other hand, we say: "I forgive but I do not forget". With this form of behaviour, we try to cover up a stronghold of resentment. There are also human reasons to forgive, for forgiveness is a sign of magnanimity, and revenge is a sign of meanness. The greatness of a soul is measured by the willingness to forgive how much or how little of the wrong we have been offended by. We must do this without limits. This means without limits, always. (Mt.17,23) "He who condemns his neighbour can make a mistake; he who forgives him never makes a mistake" (Karl Heinrich Waggerl).
When we look at the huge mountain that is the Gospel, we feel small and incapable of climbing it. We think that we can only rely on our own strength, and not on the Lord, with whom we can do everything.
Lord, open our hearts to fill them with love for those who do us wrong and for those we do not like. Give us a new heart to accept your love.
(Psalm 102) The Lord is compassionate and merciful.
HAPPY SUNDAY TO ALL
