Love Your Enemies

FEBRUARY 20, 2022, SUNDAY

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 81

Reading I

1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

In those days, Saul went down to the desert of Ziph

with three thousand picked men of Israel,

to search for David in the desert of Ziph.

So David and Abishai went among Saul’s soldiers by night

and found Saul lying asleep within the barricade,

with his spear thrust into the ground at his head

and Abner and his men sleeping around him.

Abishai whispered to David:

“God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day.

Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear;

I will not need a second thrust!”

But David said to Abishai, “Do not harm him,

for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?”

So David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head,

and they got away without anyone’s seeing or knowing or awakening.

All remained asleep,

because the LORD had put them into a deep slumber.

Going across to an opposite slope,

David stood on a remote hilltop

at a great distance from Abner, son of Ner, and the troops.

He said: “Here is the king’s spear.

Let an attendant come over to get it.

The LORD will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness.

Today, though the LORD delivered you into my grasp,

I would not harm the LORD’s anointed.”

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

R (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

            and all my being, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

            and forget not all his benefits.

R The Lord is kind and merciful.

He pardons all your iniquities,

            heals all your ills.

He redeems your life from destruction,

            crowns you with kindness and compassion.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,

            slow to anger and abounding in kindness.

Not according to our sins does he deal with us,

            nor does he requite us according to our crimes.

R The Lord is kind and merciful.

As far as the east is from the west,

            so far has he put our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,

            so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

R The Lord is kind and merciful.

Reading II

1 Cor 15:45-49

Brothers and sisters:

It is written, The first man, Adam, became a living being,

the last Adam a life-giving spirit.

But the spiritual was not first;

rather the natural and then the spiritual.

The first man was from the earth, earthly;

the second man, from heaven.

As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly,

and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly.

Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one,

we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

Alleluia

Jn 13:34

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:

love one another as I have loved you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples:

“To you who hear I say,

love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

To the person who strikes you on one cheek,

offer the other one as well,

and from the person who takes your cloak,

do not withhold even your tunic.

Give to everyone who asks of you,

and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

For if you love those who love you,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners love those who love them.

And if you do good to those who do good to you,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners do the same.

If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,

what credit is that to you?

Even sinners lend to sinners,

and get back the same amount.

But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,

and lend expecting nothing back;

then your reward will be great

and you will be children of the Most High,

for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.

Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.

Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Give, and gifts will be given to you;

a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,

will be poured into your lap.

For the measure with which you measure

will in return be measured out to you.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Jesus uses extreme language to highlight the importance of our relationships to one another. We are to deal with others, mindful of how we ourselves have received the good gift of forgiveness from God. This reminds us of the words in the ‘Our Father’, ‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’. When one has difficulties with others, it is good to pray for oneself, to know one’s own faults, if any; and to pray for the others, that they may receive the grace from God for their better self to emerge. Do to others as God has done to you.

Jesus, the love you speak of is not just emotion: it is a commitment of the will. It is extravagant and limitless, and it includes us all, good and bad alike. This is the true love that frees up the world’s gridlock of hatred, judgement, blame, recrimination and violence. It is an active loving based on going the extra mile. ‘The measure of love is to love without measure.’

PRAYER:

Lord, I am the focus of your indiscriminate love. Grant me a profound appreciation of this limitless gift. Transformed by this love, may I in turn show unrestricted loving to others-especially to my enemies!