Tuesday of the 11th Week in
Ordinary Time – Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus uses extremely strong language in today’s Gospel. He is
talking with his disciples and he hits them right where they live. He
instructs his disciples that they are to love their enemies. Jesus is being
completely countercultural because the society in which Jesus lived was
extremely violent. Criminals were nailed to the cross and many other
cruel punishments were imposed upon them. In our culture we also punish
criminals with the death penalty or life in prison; however, we strive to do it
in a somewhat humane way – such as it is.
Not only did Jesus tell his disciples that they should pray for the
individuals who persecute them, be that physically or emotionally, but also
goes on to say that it is easy to love the individuals who love them.
Jesus then challenges his disciples to love everyone. He does not want them
to be selective about whom they love. If they don’t love each and every
person, they are not much better than any criminal.
Today Jesus is telling us also that we are to love everyone — not just
the people who love us. The reality is that we won’t like everyone every day of
the week, nor will others like us on some days. Even the individuals we love get on
our nerves at times. We do not always agree with them, but if we care
about them, we desire to stay in relationship with them. This love that
Jesus is speaking about has the ability to rise above the daily irritations,
disagreements, and petty arguments. Love
can enable us to overcome such encounters. Because of this, we strive to work out the
problems and difficulties.
Even though we may not like
everyone, we still have the ability to love
others – ALL others, even the people we
may not like. Today Jesus reminds us that each and every person is lovable – even
the one who gets on our very last nerve. Today and every day we have a choice between
loving like Jesus did or allowing our emotions to control us and our behavior.
What will we choose today?
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