7th Sunday Ordinary Time - Year C

GOSPEL OF LIFE

Some scientists claim that they have discovered the “book of life”, which will help them to control the diseases in a novel way.  Today’s readings give us the “gospel of life” which, if we follow sincerely, will help us to become like God.  What is that makes us like God?  Is it love?  If so, what kind of love?  Love that seeks even our enemy’s highest good!

In the 1st reading (1Sam. 26) we find David and his warrior-nephew Abishai going into Saul’s army by night and reaching the sleeping Saul within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head.  In spite of Abishai’s persuasion to kill Saul, David showed mercy and compassion for Saul, the Lord’s anointed one, by sparing his life.  The importance of bearing the image of the life-giving spirit is emphasized in the 2nd reading (1Cor. 15:45-50).  Today’s gospel (Lk. 6:27-38) places before us four virtuous actions to grow in this life-giving spirit:  1) LOVE, 2) DO GOOD 3) BLESS 4) PRAY.  The difficulty arises when we come to the 2nd part of each action.  We are asked to love our enemies; we are asked to do good to those who hate us; we are asked to bless those who curse us; we are asked to pray for those who abuse us.

We cannot love our enemies as we love our nearest and dearest.  To do so would be unnatural, impossible and even wrong.  But we can see to it that, no matter what a man does to us, even if he insults, ill-treats and injures us, we will seek nothing but his highest good.  Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them”.  Forgive whom?  Pilate?  The high priest?  The crowds?  Judas?   The soldiers?  The disciples?  Paul reminds us that it was “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of Jesus” (Rom. 5:10).  From Paul and Jesus, we learn that the enemy is not “them” or “her” or “him” but us - you, me and every other sinner.