Tuesday of 11th week, even numbered year
“But I say this to you : Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven, for he causes the sun to rise on the bad as well as on the good, and sends down rain to fall upon the upright and the wicked alike.”
The Word at the time of Jesus is old knowledge without any strength. It doesn’t refer to its Source, like a Living Word that calls forth.Humanity who hears it becomes fragile, in rupture with the Living God, in a life like the world is.
Now, the origin of the Word of God is full of light. it is Luminous. Jesus takes up : ’Love your enemies. Do good to those who persecute you.’
It is salutary not to transmit violence that ravages the world!
Jesus has saved us by his Cross whereas we were still his enemies. It is because of our violence, because of our sins that Jesus was crucified. If I truly desire to be saved, I need to recognise this. In this way grace can touch me and I become a friend of Jesus. Having a very deep awareness that we have received grace, that God has been merciful towards us, we can be merciful to others . As the psalm puts it very well :-
"Have pity on me, my God, in your love
According to your great mercy, wipe out my sin
Wash me completely from my fault
Purify me from my offence
Yes, I know very well my sin
My fault is always there before me
Against you and you alone I have sinned
What is evil in your sight I have done
Do not turn your face away from me.“”“For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? And if you are saving you greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional?”
Jesus’ Word acts with great strength, he has spoken from his own experience : ’And I say!’
In what he says we find light and strength to resist the liar and to bring about what is announced : ’to be sons of your Father.’
But if I sow injustice, I gather in fruits of violence! In a conscience that hasn’t been fully enlightened Acab accomplishes an act that comes from evil : ’We have never seen anyone dishonour like Acab, doing as he didn’t what is wrong in the Lord’s sight. Under the influence of his wife Jezebel he is led in an abominable way.’
Indeed, what we sow in violence and in darkness we gather in violence and in darkness, for evil cries out vengeance, it is accomplished in its own time! Only the Living Word of God comes to our help. It is the source that irrigates the heart of the one who receives this Word. His action will be able to lean upon this Living Word that engenders it. This Word is justified by itself, and not by exterior considerations, it becomes creative for the one who receives it.
“And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
God’s perfection is his immense Love and Mercy. It is in this Love that we want to live. If we consider ourselves as people who are righteous e cannot be merciful towards our sisters and our brothers.
The Word of God joins us, it joins us in our origin, the Gift of God always given. Each one of us has the experience of being joined by a Word that orientates our lives, getting us out of being hemmed in, one that engenders them.
Jesus asks us to join him on this level. We discover within ourselves tis capacity to make the Word of Creation present at this very instant. Through Him, with Him and in Him, we transmit this Life without any conditions.
The Gospel proposes to us a way of humility, in our families and in our communities, we become artisans of Peace.
Jesus saves us by His Living Word : ’Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’