By Amalraj A csc –
Readings: 1 Cor 8:1-7, 11-13; Lk 6: 27-38
The lesson that Jesus teaches through today’s gospel is simple yet challenging to follow. It is a natural human tendency to react immediately if anyone hurts us or does injustice. Today’s teachings of Jesus have something to do with our ego. We cannot remain humble if our ego is hurt. The teaching of Jesus is not impossible to follow. Jesus himself has shown us through his life to love the enemy and pray for the persecutors.
Following the teachings of Jesus is challenging but the reward for it is something great which no human being can find anywhere else in the world. To be the child of God and to be with him is the greatest gift anyone can get and is available to all for loving and being kind to everyone without any condition. There were many who understood the greatness of these teachings of Christ and followed it and received profit for it. As the gospel of Matthew 16:26 says, ‘What will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?’ There are so many saints who prayed even at the time of death for the persecutors and have forgiven them.
This gospel passage is an invitation to become more like Jesus himself. In the present scenario, there are a lot of challenges for anyone to profess their religious faith publicly. It is all the more challenging for minorities as governments take many steps in favor of the majority.
Maybe it is an invitation that comes from Jesus to accept the challenges and pray for everyone and act just as he did.