7th Sunday Ordinary Time (C ) 23 February 2025 Generous Love
David spares Saul from death showing a merciful attitude and Saul is impressed ( I Samuel 26, first reading.)
This story suggests another one, in which we are involved. God could kill us but instead gives us time to repent and serve Him. Saul was impressed with David’s attitude; so should we be impressed with God's manner of dealing with us.
This kind of event (as in Saul and David) should bring out the best in us and that will make us generous to our enemies. [also story of St John Gualbert, 11th century – meeting his enemy on Good Friday and forgiving him]
I will treat others well even if they mistreat me. This applies to forgiveness and general charity. It is the way Jesus treats us in His crucifixion. We mistreated Him; He forgives us and intercedes for us.
The Golden rule: treat others as you would like them to treat you, not as they do, but as you would like (Lk 6,31).
We hope that others will do the same, but we do not let their behaviour derail ours.
We pray for others to come closer to God, wherever they stand with Him now.
We desire the salvation of all, even enemies.
In today’s Gospel (Lk 6,27-38) the same theme continues – that we love those who do not love us; we give without counting the cost; we bless those who curse us – and much more to that effect.
Why should we do this? Because it does a great deal of good, not least that we are thus learning to share in the charitable and merciful heart of God.
What was the good of Jesus’ forbearance on Good Friday? He could have broken free but He was trying to convince the crowd (there, and all other crowds) that this was the way forward.
He had some success with the people who were there, but the real value of His action has come through to all generations.
What is happening to us? The potential of love in our hearts is being released. We feel a gentler disposition; we are being healed by the merciful love of Christ, and it is changing us.
We need this changing and we can ask for it. We need to get rid of the impurities in our hearts and minds. It may take a while, but it can happen.
This is better than violence. Sometimes violence is required as a last resort: for example going to war to reject an unjust aggressor. Or physically restraining a prisoner.
But this is not the best way; it is only to be used in emergencies.
We can achieve a kind of peace by mutual deterrence, and that is usually the best we can achieve.
But far better if we could convert our neighbours, albeit that it is much harder. This is what God has taken on Himself to do, in calling us to live in union with Him and one another.
Each one becomes a Christ- like person having a merciful disposition towards others.
We never sell short what one person can do in this field because God will recognize a sympathetic heart and reward it greatly.
We are aiming for something that we often mention in prayer – that God's kingdom come among us, with all the associated blessings. No more hate, killing etc, only kindness.
In the meantime, if we cannot have the kingdom in the wider society we can have it in our hearts and minds. Lk 17,20-21
This teaching has never really been accepted. We have had saints, who live like this. Many would simply say it is too hard.
Not so hard if we have Jesus with us, enlightening and empowering us.
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