Walking with Jesus: 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time: February 20, 2022

1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38

How many times in my life have I looked my enemy in the eye? It’s not something I really want to do. In my younger years, if I did, a fight would probably result: me defending my turf, which I felt I was always right; and my enemies defending their turf, which I felt was wrong but they naturally felt was right. This seems to ever perpetuate itself in today’s society unless I learn How To Forgive.

Jesus’ opening words: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” [Luke 6:27] I’m quite sure I would have seriously objected to Jesus’ teaching. Get serious, Jesus. Ours is a dog-eat-dog world. I have to take care of myself and my loved ones. I can’t afford to let people push me around. I can’t allow people to take advantage of me. If I do, they will take me places I don’t want to go and make me do things I don’t want to do. Yet isn’t Jesus giving me a portrait of Himself? He shows us He is a caring person with no limits to His generosity: He cares for all. We are blessed and grateful for having this kind of Lord … but am I really expected to do the same and be that kind of person? Seems awfully hard, doesn't it?

David sets the scene for forgiveness. His servant, Abishai, says David should show strength and righteousness by killing King Saul while he is asleep. David realizes that Saul is still king and has been appointed to this task by God. So respect and obedience should be shown at all times. Instead of dealing the death blow, David makes sure that Saul realizes his life has been spared. God has rejected Saul because of his disobedience; he had refused to accept God’s choice of David as king. I look at how many times I've felt my way was the best and right way, because it’s what I wanted. I really never consulted or reflected on IF my way agreed with God’s plan.

Paul tells us that as human beings we reflect the image of Adam, the first human. Jesus assumed the human body but His resurrection proved that there is more coming. Jesus’ resurrection proved that our bodies will be restored and transformed into the spiritual body that has always been intended for each of us. Our baptism is our initiation into the divine life the Spirit brings to those who believe and live accordingly ... to bring us to our true and intended home, heaven.

Sandwiched in the middle of the Gospel is the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” [Luke 6:31] Jesus is elaborating on what happens to us when we put this into practice: The amount that we measure out is the amount we will be given back. When we are generous to others, we will learn the art of self-giving and caring. What we are doing is modeling Jesus’ consistent love ethic. We see this in three general principles: First: Do to others as you would have them do to you. Second: Love your enemies and do good to them, even in lending to them and expecting nothing back. Third: Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

When you look at Jesus’ daily interactions with others, those three principles are the central point of His loving. This was different for His listeners because they had “grown up” with the Lex Talionis, the law of retaliation: What you do to me, I can do the exact same thing to you. This philosophy does not recognize that love is required along with mercy and forgiveness. The reason for all this is simple, because as we have heard so frequently, we are created in God’s image. What does this mean? God is love. His very being is about giving and caring. So the more we develop our capacity for love, the more we develop into what God created us to be. God never holds back on His love, and neither should we. Satan’s job description is the opposite: Think of yourself … eat the apple from the tree of Good and Evil … take care of numero uno … it is a cruel world … why should those lesser people, lower class, lower caste, lower intelligence, lower social status ... be able to raise their status to ME?

Was Jesus too idealistic? Sunday Homily Helps shares these interesting points:

1. Forgiveness always rewards the one who forgives more than the person being forgiven because it sets down a heavy burden.
2. Our natural instinct is to spend little time with or energy on people who constantly nurse grudges. We do that to avoid being sucked into the negative energy that they apparently enjoy and constantly exude.
3. Eva Kors, a Holocaust survivor, said that she eventually forgave the Nazis not because THEY deserved it but because SHE did.
4. In the long run, forgiveness is more practical, realistic — and difficult — than any other option.
5. We can forgive and still take steps to ensure our safety.
   

So I reflect on:

• Experts list five ways to harden a conscience: excuse, justify, rationalize, avoid and blame.
• I can best extend kindness and compassion when I have reflected on the kindness and compassion shown to me.
  

Sacred Space 2022 states:

“Perhaps it is not so much that I am asked to imitate God’s compassion as to be a channel for it. I pray that I may be open, transparent and free in letting the image of God in which I am created be seen and experienced.”