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February 23, 2025, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
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Readings for Today: First Reading: 1 Samuel 26:2.7-9.12-13.22-23; Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 and Luke 6:27-38
Then said Abishai to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day; now therefore let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?”
Gospel:
“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 your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:35–36
What do you think that makes a person extraordinarily different from others?
We see in the first reading why David is said to be a good man. God acknowledged this goodness of David by calling him “a man after my heart.”
Saul and his army were pursuing David to kill, but God delivered Saul into the hands of David.
David had the opportunity to kill Saul but he did not lay his hands on him.
This is what makes him to be like his father in heaven who allows rain to fall both for the good and the bad. This is exactly what we have in the first reading about love of your enemies and praying for those who persecute you.
It is certainly difficult to be “kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” But doing so is exactly what our Lord commanded us to do. And His command is not a command in the sense of being a burden. On the contrary, it’s a command that frees us from the ingratitude and wickedness we encounter.
Oftentimes, when we encounter ingratitude from another, or any other form of wickedness, we tend to react in kind. Our fallen human nature lures us into cruelty when faced with cruelty. We criticize, condemn, attack and get angry. But Jesus is very clear that this is not how the “Most High” acts toward the wicked. And it is not how He acts toward us. In the end, the wicked who fail to repent will endure the consequences of their rejection of God’s mercy. But until that final judgment, hope of conversion must always be present. And for that reason, we must never give up on another, no matter how difficult.
Kindness shown to everyone, in every circumstance, goes to the heart of the mission we have received as children of God.
Think about the person in your life who seems unworthy of your kindness and generosity. Why are they undeserving? Are they truly undeserving? The truth, according to our Lord’s teaching, is that these are not questions we should even ask ourselves. Instead, we must fully commit ourselves to loving everyone who appears to be our enemy, and do good to them and to everyone whom we encounter. Though this is difficult, it won’t be if we understand the goodness that God has shown to us.
God has shone us perfect goodness, not because He expected anything back, but simply because He has willed to love us. If we want to be children of God the Most High, then we must reciprocate the love given to us. That’s the nature of God’s love. It cannot be contained. It cannot be selfishly received without also allowing it to pour forth from our lives. When we understand this, we will understand the reason Jesus instructed us to be “kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” It is simply because this is how God has treated us.
What has been presented to us in the first and second readings are what makes us resemble our Father in heaven who is kind and forgives His enemies.
Who are his enemies? Anyone who rejects God and His love.
So how do we deal with those who reject us?
We have to love them like our heavenly father and forgive them as our heavenly father forgives those who have offended Him.
Today we pray for the spirit of forgiveness. For prayer that we may love all people irrespective of any harm they might have caused us.
May Almighty God have mercy on us and protect us from all evil through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Have a blessed and great day.
Enjoy your Sunday.
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Rev. Fr. Ambrose Onyeka Anene SDB, is the Parish Priest of Church of the Archangels, Gaduwa, Abuja, the FCT.
