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February 20, 2022Live the Liturgy
Inspiration for the Week
“Love your enemies and do good to them.”
We have such a hard time with this teaching! But it does not end there. Jesus continues with turning the other cheek when struck, giving to everyone who asks, doing to others as you would have them do to you, being merciful, stopping our judgment of others, forgiving, and giving.
We are OK when God does these things, but we get a little anxious when we realize that God really wants us to do them, too! Secular justice and gospel justice are definitely not the same.
We need to remember that we are made in the image of God, not the image of ourselves. The Christian is called to act like Christ, even in those situations where a more assertive or defensive response may seem more justifiable. In order to live up to this call, we have to leave our resentment and need for retaliation behind, lose our defensiveness, and bring into our mind and heart the realization of who we represent in this world.
We are not here to satisfy or promote our own well-being and agenda. We are here for God’s. That’s a hard nut to crack, especially when it comes to loving and forgiving people who do hurtful and violent things.
