GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 14TH JUNE 2016
TUESDAY OF THE 11TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
1ST READING: 1Kings 21:17-29
PSALM: Psalm 51:3-6, 11, 16
GOSPEL: Matthew 5:43-48
THEME: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
There is an old Chinese proverb which says, “He who seeks revenge must dig two graves.” Every act of revenge on someone is an act of revenge on oneself.
An enemy can be defined as anyone who by his thoughts, words, actions or inactions seeks your downfall. In brief, an enemy is someone who is antagonistic to your wellbeing. An enemy can be a family member, neighbour, co-worker, fellow citizen, government official etc.
In life, we choose our friends and enemies choose us. The reason for their choice of us may vary from a feeling of insecurity to intense jealousy and hatred for the good. This means you can get so many enemies through no fault of yours. Someone can see you driving a new car and wish that you get an accident. A colleague may seek your downfall at the workplace simply because he/she is not comfortable seeing you climb the socio-economic ladder so fast. Someone may hate you simply because you are beautiful and attractive. There are some who, like Naboth in our First Reading, have lost their properties and even their lives on account of the activities of enemies.
The natural instinct is to revenge when we have been wronged but Scripture invites us to leave vengeance to God (cf. Rom 12:14, 17-21).
In our Gospel text, Jesus in his sermon on the mount proposes love in place of revenge. After telling the crowd not to revenge when they have been wronged (cf. Mt. 5:38-42), he raises the bar one step higher by advocating love for one’s enemies. To clarify in concrete terms what he means by love of enemies, he gives the image of God who shows his steadfast love towards all people (the good and the bad alike). This, clearly, is a challenging sermon. It is natural to love a friend, but at the level of feelings, it appears unnatural to love an enemy. However, Jesus invites us to go beyond the natural instinct and to embrace a divine instinct to love – a love that extends even to enemies.
To love one’s enemies does not mean carelessly putting one’s “finger in the mouth of an enemy” knowing very well that such a person will bite you if he/she gets the least opportunity. Love of enemies is an act of the will to bless, to do good and pray for one’s enemies. It means choosing to pay back evil with good, rather than evil with evil.
Is someone, seeking your downfall? Be calm and do not make any hasty decision to revenge. Rather, choose to bless, do good and pray for that person.
Lord Jesus Christ, I put my trust in you. Every moment of my life is in your hands, rescue me from the clutches of my foes who pursue me. In your power vindicate me and save me by your name.
Fr. Andrews Obeng, SVD
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)