June 17, 2014
Tuesday
11th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 1 K 21:17–29
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)
The Gospel readings since Thursday had been a series of important points of Jesus’ revision of some provisions of the Mosaic Law. Today’s Gospel reading which ends the fifth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel is the last of that series. This time Jesus preaches 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. There is none so strong that can curtail the power of love.
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 enemies. He said: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven.” Jesus presented the Father as model in the practice of that love, saying, “For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.”
We have reasons to worry about being covered by the same commandment because loving our own kind has never been easy. But grace is not wanting, for Jesus has empowered us with the same power of love. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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