By Fr. Eugene Lobo, SJ –
Seventh Sunday of the year February 20, 2022
1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38
The love of God is a forgiving, sacrificial love. He loves all and in him, there is no partiality. He has created everyone and everything and in his image and likeness, he has created them. The key theme that runs through today’s readings is one of love. It is the new commandment that Christ left behind at the last supper, inviting his disciples to love one another just as he loved them.
In the first reading, David shows how a Christian should respond to the challenge God has given him by not killing the enemy. In the second reading, we hear Paul telling the Corinthian community Christ the new Adam is different from the old Adam. He invites his community to grow into the image of the heavenly Father by continuously transforming themselves. Through his committed love, he brought new life to people. In the gospel, Jesus speaks about loving their enemies and sincerely praying for their persecutors which shows that only a religious motivation could be a root of such a notable behaviour.
In the first reading, we have the meeting of Saul and David as the enemies and David had the opportunity to kill Saul. The prophet Samuel had anointed David as the King according to the will of God. This made Saul very angry that an unknown person has been chosen to be king and his kingship is taken away. So he sought to kill David out of anger and jealousy. At this David fled from the court of Saul along with his four hundred relatives.
In the reading, we find the touching example of the reverence of the person towards God’s anointed person. He just takes away his spear and water jar and later gives it back to the king. To taunt Saul’s army that he had pierced their defences and he invites the young man to pick the king’s property. Although God had put his enemy into his power David does not destroy him indicating that feeling of benevolence towards the other person and even reaching out to the other person. In doing so he also revealed his own strength and greatness. And this is recognized by Saul. “Blessed be you, my son David,” says the king. “You will do many things and will succeed in them.” Hate in Saul turns to blessing. This is one of the desired effects of non-violence.
In the second reading of today, Paul presents the summary of our life that it consists of choosing between two Adams. Just as the first Adam is the source of natural life, so the risen Christ, the heavenly person, the last Adam is the source and model of Spiritual life. Jesus isn’t just alive but he is the one who is the fullness of life and gives us life even more. He teaches values that are not earth-bound. They can be fully understood not in the context of this world but in the context of eternal life. It is only through sharing in the risen, glorified life of Chris the primary image o God, that we are renewed according to the image of the creator. Paul today exhorts us to grow in the image of the heavenly person by transforming ourselves. Paul himself says that he has no human words or images in which to describe a glimpse of heaven which he himself received, however, he explains clearly that we shall be living and never die again. More importantly, we shall be free from all anxiety; all care, living in a state of absolute security. God will be the object of our intellect, and he will be the source and object of all love.
Today’s Gospel reading is a continuation of the teaching that began in last Sunday’s gospel. We continue to hear Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. Recall that in Luke’s Gospel, this teaching is addressed to Jesus’ disciples. This is in contrast to the parallel found in Matthew’s Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus’ words are addressed to both the disciples and to the crowds. These words from Jesus’ teaching are familiar to us. They constitute the crux and the challenge of what it means to be a disciple: Love your enemies, turn the other cheek, give to those who ask, do good unto others, lend without expecting repayment, judge not lest you be judged.
There are several similarities between Luke’s and Matthew’s report of Jesus’ great teaching. Both begin with the Beatitudes. Matthew includes nearly all the content that Luke does; the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel is longer than Luke’s Sermon on the Plain. There are, however, differences in language and nuance. For example, Matthew presents this portion of the teaching as a contrast between Jesus’ teaching and the teachings of the law and the prophets. This is in keeping with Matthew’s concern to address his predominantly Jewish audience. It is likely that Luke omits this contrast because it was unnecessary for the Gentile believers for whom Luke is writing.
Another point of contrast between Matthew and Luke’s presentation is the terminology. In Luke, Jesus contrasts the behaviour of his followers with the behaviour of “sinners.” In Matthew, Jesus contrasts the behaviour desired with the behaviour of tax collectors and Gentiles. Matthew concludes the teaching about the love of enemies with the admonition to be perfect as God is perfect; Luke concludes by emphasizing God’s mercy. In both Gospels, Jesus’ words challenge those who would follow him to be more like God. God loves us beyond our expectations, beyond anything we can possibly imagine. In response to God’s love, we are to love as God loves, beyond expectations and with a depth beyond imagining.
It would, at first sight, appear that the demands that Christ makes of our charity here are anything but easy. Loving one’s enemies is asking a lot. Blessing them and praying for them might be all right for saints like Francis of Assisi or great monks in the desert. But expecting this of every Christian seems to be going very far. Asking for a blow on the second cheek while the pain on the first cheek is still on and hurting badly seems fit for a martyr-like St. Lawrence. Not to try to take back what is stolen from us looks very foolish. Yet it was Christ who made all these demands and he himself put them into practice. However, before we give up in despair and decide this type of Christianity is not for us, let us look a little more closely at the demands that are made. To love our enemy does not mean that we must throw our arms around him every time we meet him. It tells us that we must do all in our power to rid of our minds of hatred towards him. We should not and must not judge them or condemn them. We must look at the other person as the image of God and see the good in him.
But the question that most of us are asking is this: How about if he abuses our love for him or if he does not accept it? What shall we do? You, what are you going to do? Are you going to let him do what he wants? If he abused our love for him, he has liked the man that after he listened to Buddha who talked against returning evil for evil or in our gospel, ‘a tooth for a tooth, he decided to see if Buddha practices what he preaches. The man shouts all kinds of abuses and slanderous words at the great teacher and calls him a stupid fool.
Buddha listened patiently. When the man ran out of things to say, Buddha said: “My son, if one declines to accept a gift from another, to whom does the gift go?” “Any fools know that,” the man replied scornfully. “The gift goes back to the giver.” “My son,” said the Buddha, “You have given me much verbal abuse. I decline to accept your gift.” The man was dumbfounded. Buddha continued, “My son, one who slanders a virtuous person is like one who spits at the sky. The spittle does not soil the sky. It only comes back to the soil the face of the one who spits. Or it is like one who flings dust into the wind. The dust does not reach its target. It only blows back into the face of the man who throws it.”
So in the context of the refusal to accept our love and peaceful response is not reciprocated, we do not have to don’t worry. It is certain that it will come back to us. If the other person gives slanderous and malign words and deeds to us, but then we don’t accept these will come back to the person who gives them. What Jesuit Father Teilhard de Chardin, SJ had said is true that human being is like other animal and plant species is also endangered species. It is because of the absence of something more basic: Love. The unwillingness to love one another is threatening the survival of our planet and not only because of nuclear and atomic bombs. Unless we discover love and harness its energies: we may not make it through another century.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, life for life, was the practice among the Jewish community at the time of Jesus and for centuries before. They indeed followed the Babylonian code of Hammurabi. Jesus now sets up the golden rule of fraternal charity in place the lex Talion, the law of Talion. Every person must truly love their neighbour as they are truly their brothers or sisters. What is more, is that Christ’s mission on earth has made him the son of God and an heir to heaven.
Our chief interest in our neighbour must therefore be a spiritual interest. If he offends us he offends God which is much more serious. Our charity must help him to seek God’s forgiveness. That he should understand that our forgiveness is of very minor importance in comparison with divine forgiveness. As Christians, our aim is to get all to reach the heavenly kingdom. Therefore when Jesus tells us go and do likewise, it means we are to imitate him and fulfill the call of the Father.
But why should we Christians are called to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, pray for those who mistreat us, offer the other cheek and give your other cloak, lend money, and expect nothing back, do not judge, be compassionate and forgive? This is too much! This is unfair! This injustice! Is justice giving what is due to him? For example, if you are slapped on the right cheek, allow being slapped also on the other cheek. But frankly reflecting, this is not giving what is due to him, but it is giving what is due to us because this is already revenge. The justice of God is: violence will be answered by peace, hatred should be defeated by love, the injury should be healed by forgiveness and evil should be controlled by goodness.
Forgiveness in the gospel always implies reconciliation; it involves bringing people together again and the healing of wounds but not the destruction of the wrongdoer. That is something very different. It can take time and a lot of effort and a lot of real concern for people. Loving one’s enemies is not being soppy about them. Nor is it about peace at any price, not a question of projecting a gentle, loving image but a passion to restore justice, dignity, and right relationships between people. How many wars, how many millions of deaths could have been avoided if we had followed this path?
Like Jesus, or Gandhi, or ML King, there has to be a readiness to suffer and perhaps to lose much materially and socially. Active non-violence involves campaigning, sticking one’s neck out, speaking out against injustice. “Non-violence,” said Gandhi, “cannot be taught to a person who fears to die and has no power of resistance.” At the same time, it always entails “speaking the truth in love”, seeking to heal, to save, to make whole but never to hurt or destroy.
Finally, a true disciple will be like his father: he loves His enemies, does good to those who hate Him, and is kind to those who do not appreciate what He has done for them (v.35). Lastly, we are created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, we have to love our enemies just like what He does also. Those who hate their enemies have no rich to claim that He is God’s image and likeness. As we reflect on the word of God today we are reminded of the beautiful Prayer of Generosity by St. Ignatius of Loyola: Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous; Teach me to serve You as I should To give and not count the cost To fight and not to heed the wounds To toil and not to seek the rest To labour and not to ask to reward Save that of knowing that I do your Most holy will. Amen.
There is a well-known fable about Jesus visiting his friends. Once Jesus promised a pious old lady that he would visit her that day. She got ready for this big event. She cleaned the house, scrubbed everything to shining, kept things in neat order, and sat down there waiting for the Lord to come to her house. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. She rushed to open the door and saw only a poor shabbily dressed beggar standing outside. She was disappointed and told the beggar that she was not free and was waiting for an important guest. He must quickly go away. The beggar was confused and left as hungry as he had come. A bit later there was another knock. She ran to open the door to find a familiar old man for help. Not today for heaven’s sake she told him. She was not free to take care of him and she sent him away by slamming the door. After some time there was another knock and she was certain it was Jesus and ran to the door to find a hungry beggar asking for bread. She was annoyed and sent him away empty-handed. She sat down and waited for Jesus and there was no sign of him. She went to bed with a heavy heart. The good Lord came to her in the dream and she complained. He said that he did come three times and she refused entry to him.