THE WORD
Col 3: 12–17 / Lk 6: 27–38
Jesus said to his disciples, “But 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. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. 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? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit (is) that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as (also) your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. ....
IN OTHER WORDS
A sequence from the award-winning film GANDHI has been cited by Fr. Tommy Lane to introduce today’s gospel episode. Fr. Lane writes: “In it a white clergyman, Charlie Andrews, went for a walk one day with Gandhi in South Africa. There were three white young men on the street with stones in their hands. The clergyman suggested they turn back. Instead Gandhi, a Hindu, started quoting Jesus from today’s gospel, e.g. ‘to the man who slaps you on one cheek present the other cheek too.’ (Lk 6:29) The clergyman said, ‘This was not to be understood literally, it was metaphorical.’ Gandhi replied saying he ‘suspected that Jesus meant one must show courage and be willing to take one blow or several blows to show that you will not strike back nor turn aside. That calls on something in the enemy that makes his hatred for you decrease and his respect for you increase.’”
Truly the gospel bears fruit when it touches day to day experience. This is the case of Gandhi, a Hindu, who quotes today’s gospel to show to the Christian clergyman how Jesus’ teaching is to be lived and practiced in daily life.
Man’s natural reaction to violence is violence but the most courageous thing to do is to respond peacefully. This is an act of loving which enables all of us to make a difference in a world full of irony. The difference that we make consists in treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wants them to be treated – with love, mercy and compassion. It is God’s power in us that we are able to love not only our neighbors who are good to us and who treat us well, but above all our enemies whom we detest, avoid and hate.
Jesus sets the example of how to love his enemies; and so does Gandhi. For us here and now, there is a call to constantly look to Christ whereby to pattern our hearts in loving. For Him, love encompasses all: “love your enemies.” We can only love our enemies if we see God in them. Let’s remember what a saint once said, “The measure of love is to love without measure.”
- Noel Rebancos, SVD (CTManila)
The Word in other words 2015
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
