Jesus wants us to treat others with the generosity God offers us
Reflections on the readings for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (February 20, 2022): 1 SM 26:2,7-9,12-13,22-23; PS 103:1-2,3-4,8,10,12-13; 1 COR 15:45-49; LK 6:27-38
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
“Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. Not according to our sins does He deal with us.” (Psalm 103:8,10).
Almighty God loves us whether or not we love Him. We can never love Him the way He deserves. But, by cooperating with His grace, we can come to emulate His love more profoundly than we can imagine. We can grow in love for Him and for His children, our brothers and sisters. If we recognize Jesus as our Brother and His Father as our own, we must acknowledge every person as part of His family. The only real way to treat others the way we want to be treated is to see each person with the eyes of Christ, to hear them with His ears, to speak to them -- and about them -- with His lips, and even to help them with His hands. By focusing on our Lord and His affection and respect for the individuality and dignity of everyone, we can change. The other person may or may not, but that is not up to us. We need to concentrate on our relationship with God and what He asks of us. In this Sermon, Jesus is very certain what He wants us to do and to refrain from doing. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you” (Luke 6:37-38).
Jesus tells us that we will be rewarded beyond anything we could ever imagine if we entrust ourselves to God’s will. And He wants us to love. It is as simple and as difficult as that to lead the life He gave us. If we ask our Redeemer and King to help us love with His heart, He will. At times it will be hard and cost us a great deal. But, if His strength and courage, joy and peace matter to us, it will be worth it, for both now and eternity.
Suggested missionary action: Let us find an opportunity this week to reach out in kindness to someone whom we have avoided or had a disagreement. Perhaps a simple greeting can start to make a difference. And even if it does not seem to make a difference, we can ask God to help us try again.