Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

SCRIPTURE Readings

Reflection from The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer

by John Bartunek, LC (reprinted with permissions from the author)

170. LOVE, GIVE, AND LIVE (LK 6:27-38)

 

“The measure of love is to love without measure.”

- St Augustine

Luke 6:27-38

‘But I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

CHRIST THE LORD In this portrait of a true Christian, Jesus indirectly gives us a portrait of himself. He shows us what kind of Lord he really is: a lavish one. Nothing limits his generosity – not ingratitude, not opposition, not concern for himself – nothing. Only because he is unlimited in his generosity can he demand that his followers follow suit. If we truly know him, we will delight in serving such a Lord, and we will go out of our way to be worthy of him. In the midst of this portrait, Jesus also teaches us one of the most basic laws of his Kingdom: the amount we measure out is the amount we will be given back. The more generous we are to others, the better we learn the art of self-giving, of self-forgetful love, the more intensely we will experience the fulfilled and fulfilling life we long for. The reason for this is simple. We are created in God’s image, and God is love; his very divine nature is all about self-giving. So the more we develop our capacity for love – authentic, self-forgetful love – the more we mature into what God created us to be. And just as a mature, healthy apple tree bears abundant fruit, so a mature, healthy human soul overflows with the spiritual fruits of profound joy, peace, and enthusiasm. This is the number one reason heaven will not be boring (contrary to what the devil does his best to make us think) – there’s just too much overflowing life and love to leave even a tiny nook or cranny for boredom to creep in!

CHRIST THE TEACHER Through baptism, Christians become members of the body of Christ, brothers of the Lord, and children of God. In our journey through life we either stay faithful to that vocation or abandon it (and sometimes we go back and forth). In this passage, Christ gives us the touchstone of our fidelity, the sign by which we can know that we are living up to our vocation. It isn’t vast theological knowledge, nor is it personal charm or professional success. Neither is it having ecstasies in prayer or taking on extreme penances. Rather, the identifying mark of a Christian is treating others – all others – the way God does, the way God treats us. God is kind and merciful “even to the ungrateful and the wicked.” If we are his children, his followers, we will be kind and merciful too. We will be quick to forgive, quick to make excuses for others, quick to avoid judging and condemning them. We will think well of others, speak well of them, and treat them like the children of God (and thus our brothers and sisters) that they truly are.

God never holds back his love, and neither should we. God is like the sun, tirelessly emanating the goodness of love as the sun radiates light and heat. When we were baptized, he came to dwell within us, so that he could emanate his goodness to the world through us. Unfortunately, our pettiness, selfishness, and partiality often obscure his light instead of transmitting it. Learning to let his love and light shine more and more, in every moment and in every relationship, is the only task that really matters – the only lesson that Christ is hoping we will learn (with plenty of his help) perfectly.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Jesus presents us with a new way of living so that our “reward will be great” and “there will be gifts” for us. Sometimes we mistakenly think that a Christian ought somehow to be indifferent to the human desire for happiness, as if wanting to be happy were some kind of sin. The truth is much more realistic: the desire for happiness is a gift from God, a homing device that impels us towards God, the only source of true and lasting happiness. If Christ demands sacrifice and generosity, if his way of life seems hard, if the cross is painful, it’s only a temporary pain, like that of someone recovering from reconstructive surgery: the doctor demands a long and arduous rehabilitation program so that the patient can once again enjoy a healthy, active, and happy life. Christ is the doctor of our fallen, selfish souls, and he eagerly looks forward to the day when we will join him on the tennis courts in heaven.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE You want me to be truly happy. You will never be satisfied with the counterfeit happiness this world offers, the kind I sometimes would prefer. You love me too much. I believe in you, Lord, but it’s hard to follow your path. I need your grace. You know I do. You will never hoard your help. Thank you, Lord. Teach me to do your will…

Your standard of love is much too high for me. So if you want me to live that way, you are going to have to come and be my light and my strength. Send your Holy Spirit into my soul and into the souls of all the members of your Church. Grant us a renewal of authentic Christian charity. You are all-powerful, Lord – you can do it! Come Holy Spirit, enkindle in me the fire of your love…

Dear Lord, a strange opinion about life is circulating out there. People seem to think it is dishonorable to follow you in order to be happy. But that’s not what you teach. You came precisely because you wanted to show us – and open up for us – the path to true human fulfillment, both here on earth and forever in eternity. I trust you, Lord; teach me to spread your truth…

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. What one thing has most hindered you from living Christian charity (treating others “as I would have them treat me,” as God would have you treat them)? What one thing has most helped?

3. In what ways can we better imbue our community with the ethic of Christian charity?

4. Clearly, the world would be a better place if everything followed Christ’s commandment to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” So why doesn’t everyone follow it?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1-3, 26-29 on God’s sheer goodness (unconditional love) as expressed in his plan of salvation; 1822-1829, 1844 on the primacy and nature of Christian charity