Gospel

Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:

"You have heard that it was said,

You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies,

and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be children of your heavenly Father,

for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,

and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?

Do not the tax collectors do the same?

And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,

what is unusual about that?

Do not the pagans do the same?

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Reflection

It's amazing to me how this call on the part of Jesus to all of us to understand that love is what this kingdom is all about. How clearly it is that we just don't seem to grasp the fullness of this. It's not unusual for people in positions of authority within the church to judge and condemn people for an action they might perform.

And yet it’s clear that the job that we have is to love those who fail, those who are evil, knowing that that is a powerful healing element in this whole process of living in the Kingdom. To love someone is to give them an energy, a grace, the presence of God, to help heal them of whatever evil they have done.

Closing Prayer

Father, give us a keen awareness of where judgment flares up inside of us, when we see someone or hear something that someone has done. Train us to realize that the only obligation we have is not so much to change people, but to love them and believe that loving them is the greatest power to change them. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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