Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus Gives a Warning to be Self-LESS!
From A Grateful Heart ……………………………….
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same!
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies
and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
(Luke 5:4-8)
Jesus was a radical – and still is!
In this week’s readings from Luke in Chapter 6: Jesus asks us to do the seemingly Impossible!
- Love your enemies
- Be good to haters
- Bless those who bully you
- Give to anyone who asks
- Lend without conditions
- Stop judging others
The rationale Jesus gives us is that God did all these things for us and we are to imitate him if we are to deserve to bear the name of Christian.
To the casual listener this teaching of Jesus is charity and mercy on a heroic scale! For the Christian it is a bottom line!
There is no reward for doing good! It is expected! Heaven can not be earned or merited. It was won for us in the redemptive act of Jesus in His Death and Resurrection from the dead! It is a free gift!
The redemption Christ offers his creation (that would be you and me!) is not rewarded but given. Only one who is ungrateful would not offer a thanksgiving response of obedience to His commands.
That is why we need to be attentive and participate at Mass. We are feed with the very words of Christ and nourished by his body and blood. Now, given that strength, our body and soul are capable of great acts of witness and saving assistance to everyone we meet. We have a chance to change the direction of the world! There is already too much anger and evil to destroy the world. God made us for happiness and peace. We have a job to do! To spread the Love of God. Not, a boast of selfish pride but, an act of selfless care for others good. DO GOOD!
May Our Risen Savior Bless you!
Fr. Patrick Nelson, SDS
2025 – The Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – February 23
