God really makes us like him!

Listening to the Spirit

I come to You in prayer, asking You to teach me. Guide my heart to love my enemies, even the ones who have hurt and harmed me.

Though my wounds could be deep, help me forgive.

May I remember the many times I have sinned against others and how I seek forgiveness. Because You have always graciously forgiven me.

(By Geevetha Mary Samuel)

Listening to the Word

Matthew 5:38-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and does not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Reflection

Sincerely, we think that one life will be not enough to be “perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect”. Especially listening to the words that Jesus tells us today in the Gospel.
How can I be able to love my enemies?
How can I be able to act, to behave with the evil ones in the way of Jesus?
Really it is not easy! How far we are!
But because of His Word, - He does not cheat us - we believe that we can do it, that we can be perfect as the Father. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit that is abundantly bestowed on us. We are not alone, it is the Spirit working in us and therefore because of the Paraclete, we intend to follow His path, to be like Him.
We want to heal, to strengthen our relationships with all our brothers and sisters because they are “children of your heavenly Father” and “He makes his sun rise on the bad and the good”.
As it is described in the gospel, we are injured by different forms of violence: violence in our everyday relationships (v.39), violence in our society due to social injustices (v.40), violence through abuses (v.41) and violence concerning financial aspects (v.42).
We try not to answer back to violence, looking, becoming aware of the violence that is present in our hearts. The Spirit shows us the evil that is present in our lives. The heart is the source of love, but it is also the source of evil, of revenge, of bad thoughts, of rage…of violence against the enemy, the other one.
Because of Jesus, because of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to be different. We are made to be like Him… GOD REALLY MAKES US LIKE HIM! Therefore, we desire to have a different heart, able to forgive, able to love the person who is the source of our hate and rage. We desire to have different eyes so that we can look at our brothers and sisters (no more enemies) with the eyes of God.