Martin Madalai Muthu csc –
Readings: Lev 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Cor 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48
Today we are in the seventh Sunday of the Ordinary time just a few days ahead of the season of Lent. Today’s liturgy invites us to reflect on one of the most basic virtues: “Forgiveness”. First Reading speaks about Love, we are asked not to hate others but to love people. The basis of this love is God’s own love for his people. In the second reading St. Paul highlights the truth that we are God’s Temple by the power of the Holy Spirit and our Christian community is God’s dwelling place.
In the Gospel reading Jesus commands us to love our enemies. Christ asks of us to have hearts large enough to receive even our enemies. He wants us to be holy. Holiness is a growth in our capacity to love. It is the ability and openness to forgive. It is always easy to say in words and be happy about the identity of Christians as forgiving people. However, it becomes difficult to forgive others when it comes to our personal lives. When we are hurt deeply, sometimes we react with anger and take revenge.
As God’s children we are called to fight against evil, but we should not do it with the weapons of hatred, revenge, rivalry, gossip etc. We need to fight it with the weapons of love, mercy, and forgiveness. If you and I want to be the faithful followers of Jesus, this is what we ought to do. We should be makers and sowers of peace by forgiving and forgetting hurt.
Today let us ask the Lord for the gift of forgiveness so that we may forgive one another from the heart, seek no revenge, keep no grudges and learn to see others as people loved by the same Father in heaven.