Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“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.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 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 also 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.”

 

Today’s Gospel reading is very fitting as we prepare for the anniversary of 9/11 and considering the current political scene in the US. Jesus tells us that we must be compassionate, not to our friends but to our enemies. We are called not only to love our enemies but to pray for and bless them in the name of God. This may be the most difficult thing the Christ asked us to do. When we are born, God gave us the grace to love and to hope. He does not give us the grace to hate. We learn to hate from the world around us. How much better this world would be if we could abolish hatred. Hatred leads to retaliation and retaliation leads to more hatred. Unless we break the cycle, hatred continues to grow. Christ tells us that we must be willing to give up everything we own to our neighbor, we must be willing to give them the clothes from our back and all the money that we have in hopes that this will lead to peace and unity. How we treat our enemies is a true testament to our treatment of Christ. It is easy to love those who love you, it is a true symbol of character to love those who hate you. Christ tells us “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.” Who are the kind and the ungrateful? We are. No matter what we do, our Father in heaven always loves us. He cherishes us and pours out his unconditional love for us. If we are to find the path to heaven, then we must line it with prayers and blessing for those we have learned to hate. The message is simple, “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. Today, say a special prayer for your enemies and most importantly say a prayer for those who hate the US and who are in turmoil with our government and politicians that we can become brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, you are the master of the world.

You gave me the gifts of love and hope, but I have learned to hate.

Help me abolish hatred in my life so that I may help end hatred in the world.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon