The Gospel for this Sunday is Luke 6:27-38
1. How to break the spiral of evil
Loving even one’s enemies is the only effective way to break the spiral of evil and hatred. This is what Jesus teaches us, and it is the distinguishing characteristic of Christians.
2. Keywords
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Loving one’s enemies – this is actually God’s attitude toward man. It is God’s love for man -who has betrayed Him through sin, turned away from Him, and is no friend of God. However, God is not discouraged. He gave his life for us and forgives our sins in the sacrament of reconciliation.
There are many Greek words that mean love. This gospel passage is about “agape” love, the love that has its source in God Himself. So, with His help we can love our enemies.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (…) Forgive and you will be forgiven (…) For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.
That last sentence explains why it is not only necessary but also good to love one’s enemies. Even more so because in the prayer that Jesus Christ taught us, we say “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
3. Today
One of the best comments on this Gospel are the words of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski:
The worth of our year depends on the extent to which we have been able to overcome resentment within ourselves, the extent to which we have been able to overcome human anger and wrath. One year’s worth corresponds to how much sorrow, suffering, and adversity we have spared people. The value of our year depends on how much heart, closeness, compassion, kindness, and comfort we have been able to show to people. Our year is worth as much as we were able to pay with good for the evil done to us.
And today we celebrate...