June 20, 2017Tuesday
11th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 2 Cor 8:1-9
Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell 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 both the wicked and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.“If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Today’s Gospel reading is part of Jesus’ discourse we began reading last Thursday on some six required Christian conduct under different provisions of law that Jesus wanted to expound and deepen. He couches his discourse in the following format: “You have heard that it was said… but now I tell you…” The first part of the format is a quote from the Law of Moses; the second part is Jesus’ teaching about the quoted provision. Today’s quote is from Leviticus 19:18 about love.
The power of love is impressive. With it Jesus conquered Chemistry by turning H20 (water) into wine; Biology, by defying the normal process of conception when he came to this world; Physics by taking exception to the power of gravity in ascending to heaven and in walking over the waters of the sea; Economics when he suspended the law of diminishing returns by feeding 5,000 men with 5 loaves of bread.
It is by this same power that Jesus wants followers to excel. Quoting Leviticus 19:18 Jesus told his disciples: “You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy.” The word ‘neighbor’ in the old law was understood by the Jews as referring to countrymen, excluding enemies. It was considered normal to have enemies even in the area of spirituality. In Psalm 139: 19-22 we read: “If only you would destroy the wicked O God… Do I not hate, Lord, those who hate you?”
But Jesus expanded the old law to include the enemies. He said: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven.” It was a tall order, but Jesus supplied the necessary power, the power of love. Jesus presented the Father as model in the practice of that love. Of the Heavenly Father Jesus said: “For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.” – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM
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