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 “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
Today, He starts by telling the crowd to “love your enemies.”
The Gospel today continues the Sermon on the Plain that was begun last Sunday. So much of what our Lord said must have startled His listeners. Even though the law expressed in the Old Testament directed people to love their neighbors as themselves, Jesus was explicit about treating people whom they saw as their enemies with the same love. “Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? … But rather, love your enemies and do good to them. … Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:31-33,35,36). God loves so we must love. God is compassionate so we must be compassionate. The essence may not be new, but Christ takes the ideal to a new extreme.
His audience knew all about enemies. The land of the Jewish people had been conquered by the Romans. These rulers were obvious enemies, as were those like tax collectors who collaborated with them. Now Jesus says that they are to be loved. Moreover, He wants the crowd to do good to them. Christ is not telling people to just ignore enemies but to engage with them out of love. And this does not only apply to the enemies of their nation, but also to personal enemies -- the neighbor who has injured or mistreated them, stolen from them, demanded their help. These are not easy things to ignore, let alone respond to with kindness, generosity, and true charity. Nevertheless, that is exactly what Jesus says. In time, the people who heard this message in a sermon would hear Him offer forgiveness to His killers from the cross. They would learn that our Savior came for the sake every single person. In fact, the more distant and separated they seemed from Him, the more He wanted them to respond to His mercy. So, yes, all those who dislike us and disagree with us and disturb us in various ways -- these too God loves dearly. And so must we.