Fearfully and wonderfully free to love

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary challenge us to push our boundaries when it comes to how we live and forgive. In the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul sets forth some practical rules to avoid scandalizing members of the community who may not appreciate subtle the distinctions we sometimes make to justify our actions. The message from the Gospel of Luke calls us to practice love of our enemies in some practical ways. Ralph F. Wilson exposes the action language used by Jesus. Julie Kalkowski shares that learning to be merciful or to stop condemning takes a long time.  Knowing herself, she knows she will not be able to get to that place where she can always follow the instructions Jesus laid out for us in today’s Gospel. Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) who describes Jesus double precept to give and forgive as two essential wings of prayer: The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:27-38 notes that because we are a work in progress, we will probably always struggle with the call to be merciful. Friar Jude Winkler comments that knowledge inflates the Gnostics in Corinth and they be scandalizing others who do not make small distinctions. We are called to give up our so called rights for the sake of the good of others. Friar Jude comments that we not judge others but leave it to God. Forgiveness based on need rather than being deserving. Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares that those attracted to the common idea of hell operate out of a scarcity model, where there is not enough Divine Love to transform, awaken, and save. The dualistic mind is literally incapable of thinking any notion of infinite grace. We too quickly rush to make exemptions for ourselves to exercise special rights that may scandalize others. The agape of Jesus disciples places the needs and acceptance of others first.