6 March 2023 – Luke 6:36-38
In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us to be compassionate, but without judging others. This in no way means that we should be blind to the true faults of others, only that we do not have a higher moral grounding to be able to do so.
“Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.” This is the last sentence in Luke’s version of Jesus’ teaching
on the necessity of loving our enemies. God’s mercy embraces all, his love extends to all without any discrimination between righteous and sinners. Just as equally the rain falls on all and the sun shines on all, so God’s compassion and mercy extend to all.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”: this is God’s compassion expressed in an extreme situation. Jesus asks for what is only possible by grace and, significantly, it is again Luke who testifies that it was with this feeling of love towards enemies that Jesus’ first witness, Stephen, died, who asked not to blame his persecutors for the violent death he received from them (Lk 7:60). Jesus thus breaks with tradition and indicates the new behaviour of his disciples: here is the righteousness that goes beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees (Mt 5:20), here is the toil of the Gospel, here is – Paul would say – “the word of the cross” (1 Cor 1:18). To love (verb agapáo) the enemy means to go towards the other with gratuitousness even if he opposes us, it means to want the good of the other even if he is the one who does us harm, it means to do good, to care for the other by loving him as oneself. And Jesus gives examples, indicating also behaviour to be taken: “Do not resist those who strike you, nor those who steal your cloak; give to those who stretch out their hand, whoever they may be, known or unknown, good or bad; and never feel yourself a creditor of what has been taken from you.”
This does not mean, however, to be passive, or to give in to those who do us evil; Jesus himself gave us an example of this when, struck on the cheek by the high priest’s guard, he objected: “If I have spoken well, why do you strike me?” (John 18:23).
Merciful love is the only way forward. How much we all need to be a little more merciful, not to gossip about others, not to “pluck” others with criticism, with envy, with jealousies. We must forgive, be merciful, live our lives in love. This love enables Jesus’ disciples to recognise themselves as children of the same Father. In the love they practise in their lives, that mercy that will never end is thus reverberated (1 Cor 13:1-12). But let us not forget this: mercy and gift; forgiveness and gift. Thus the heart expands in love. Instead, selfishness, anger, make the heart small and hard as a stone. Which do we prefer? A heart of stone or a heart full of love? If we prefer a heart full of love, we must be merciful! (Pope Francis)
For good workers…
The Gospel demands great generosity in our relationship with others. Not just material generosity, but generosity in love, understanding, tolerance and acceptance, compassion and forgiveness. The more generous we are with others, the more we will receive in return.
P JOBY KAVUNGAL RCJ