7th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 1Samuel 26:2,7-9,12-13,22-25; 1Cor 15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38
On this seventh Sunday, the Church reminds us of the essential virtues and elements of our Christian life. They include mercy and compassion, love of God and neighbor, self-control, appreciation of values, moral responsibility, awareness of sin, and the sacred sense. These are marks of our spiritual progress and Christian growth. Also, they form part of the church’s social doctrine.
Today’s first reading is dramatic. David had the death warrant of his enemies in his hands, yet he refused to pronounce it. Instead, he left it for God to pronounce in his way and at his appropriate time. He heeded God’s word: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Do not take revenge. Vengeance is mine” (Rom 12: 17-19; Deut 32:35). David reminds us that when we are rejected by those whom we put our trust in, we should know that God is the one who will bring the satisfaction we are longing for. When this truth is implanted in our souls, we are less quick to enact judgment ourselves because we can trust God’s sovereign care for us. David let God deal with his enemies in his way and in His time. David had complete trust in God. Whenever we are tempted to seek personal revenge, we should try and leave it up to God.
There is an adage that says, “Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness but because you deserve peace.”
This why in today’s Gospel; Jesus reminds us that the human person has been made in the image and likeness of God. Only as persons learn to act like God, specifically to love unconditionally like God, do they/we begin to find the harmony and peace for which we/they were made. Jesus advised against the tendency to judge people’s minds, hearts and motivations. People’s inner world is beyond the judgment of others.
Hurts and wounds do not heal so fast. In some cases, their scars do not disappear entirely during one’s lifetime. However, Christ knew this perfectly well. He not only preached this sermon, but he also lived it. So, he is not asking us to do what he did not do.
Paul reminds us in our second reading that we derived our body and way of life from the earthly man (Adam). In contrast, we derived the spirit that gives life and animates our body from the heavenly man (Christ).
Hence, the spirit guides those who have received Christ. They are born of the Spirit. Christ’s new commandment may seem complicated, his spirit and grace will enable us to live these essential virtues and elements of our Christian life. There are some lessons for us from today’s readings. First, we must learn to leave vengeance for God. So, we must not take every opportunity for revenge against our offenders. Forgiveness heals all wounds and wipes all scars away.
Second, we must not always bow to pressures from circumstances or our colleagues to do evil. This is because two wrongs can never make one right. Reprisal attack or revenge may hurt one even more than it will hurt one’s offender. In this case, we may win the war but not the peace, love, and friendship.
Finally, no matter our situation or circumstance, we must not lose the sense of the sacred. We must guard against sin. All lives belong to God, and only he has the right to take them away. Also, let us remember that we cannot help God in his judgment. He knows what to do, how to do it, and the best time to do it. So, we must let God be God “Lord is merciful and kind.”
Fr. Alex Osei
SSC-USA Spiritual Director