Today’s Gospel is truly remarkable. It is part of the Sermon on the Mount which is sort of a life plan from God’s point of view for all Christians. It comes out of Jesus relationship with God the Father. Israel received God’s plan for us from Moses in the form of the ten commandments, the Law. As human beings we tend to limit or reduce the scope of the ten commandments. This limiting of God’s intention tends to reduce us all to being good who don’t cause any problems. Our good deeds and good will are further limited only to those who are kind to us. Anyone who mistreats us is subject to our vengeance, violence, and hatred. We are so accustomed to that form of life that we justify acting and living that way.
Jesus does not reduce or limit God’s intention or desires about how we are to live with our Creator or with each other. The Sermon on the Mount goes to the heart of God’s desire for us all and calls us to live out the spirit of the law. Jesus says: Love and forgive your neighbor. We immediately want to limit what he says by asking: Who is my neighbor? How often do I have to forgive? When do I have to love? We are lazy and unforgiving and do not want to love or forgive all people. We like to think that love is like a business transaction. I love you because you love me. I forgive you as much as you forgive me. God’s love takes in all people: family, friends, enemies, immigrants, strangers, foreigners, violent people, unfaithful, unjust, and persecutors. A truly Christian person loves as God loves.
Our capacity and desire to love and forgive others is the true sign of a Christian life.
But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you;
in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven
Image: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/MAT.5.42-48.KJV