The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us that the Love which is the basis of our relationship with God is to be extended to all through the help of the Spirit.
The reading from the Book of Deuteronomy is a concluding Exhortation on the Covenant.
l. [26:16–19] Dt 7:6; 8:6; 10:12–13; 11:22; 14:2; 27:9; 28:1, 9; 29:12–13; Ex 6:7; 19:5–6; 24:7; Lv 26:12; 2 Sm 7:24; Jer 7:23; 31:33; Ez 11:20; Hos 2:23. (Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 26 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 119 praises the Glories of God’s Law.
* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them. (Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches Love for Enemies.
* [5:21–48] Six examples of the conduct demanded of the Christian disciple. Each deals with a commandment of the law, introduced by You have heard that it was said to your ancestors or an equivalent formula, followed by Jesus’ teaching in respect to that commandment, But I say to you; thus their designation as “antitheses.” Three of them accept the Mosaic law but extend or deepen it (Mt 5:21–22; 27–28; 43–44); three reject it as a standard of conduct for the disciples (Mt 5:31–32; 33–37; 38–39). (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)
Cynthia Schmersal is inspired to return to Marie Howe’s poem titled The Star Market. She prays:
Lord,
When we find it difficult to pray for those we deem prosecutors,
remind us that we, too, were at the Star Market among this lot of humanity
– witting and unwitting persecutors.
Keen our awareness to the ways in which we contribute to brokenness and suffering,
and turn the whole lot of us toward You.
Perfect us,
that we may ever more fully follow You
with our whole heart, our whole soul, and our entire will.
Deepen in us awareness of your summons,
and free us to embody your compassion, generosity, and mercy through the all of our lives,
that we may collaborate with You and all of Your beloved creation
in the coming of Your kin-dom.
Amen. (Schmersal, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The gift to love all people - even enemies,” by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Beg God for the gift to love one another. Love all people, even your enemies, not because they are your brothers and sisters but that they may become such. Love them in order that you may be at all times on fire with love, whether toward those who have become your brothers and sisters or toward your enemies, so that by being beloved they may become your brothers and sisters." (excerpt from Sermon on 1 John 10,7) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:43-48 comments that it is easy to see people through the lens of their faults or failures. We can begin to withhold kindness because we unconsciously deem them unworthy of our time or patience. But Jesus calls us to love even those who hurt us or those who seem undeserving. As we do, we reflect the One in whose image we are made. Just as the sun’s light radiates out to all creation, we can shine forth with God’s all-encompassing, unchanging love. We can bring his warmth and light to a world overshadowed by harshness and judgment.
God is asking us to open our hearts wider—to love more deeply, forgive more readily, and judge less harshly. So think about how you love your friends, family members, and coworkers. But also consider the person driving beside you, the grocery clerk who rang you up, or the man asking for money at a stoplight. Think, too, about the people you find most “unlovable”! The Spirit can soften your heart and help you see the image of God in all of them. He can help you shine the light of God’s love into every corner of your world.
“Lord, help me to share your steadfast love with everyone!” (Meditation on Matthew 5:43-48, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that there is no grey area in Deuteronomy between the commandments and rejection of God. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus extends the status of neighbour to everybody. Friar Jude recalls the revelation of Thomas Merton, in Louisville, that we are members of a universal family of brothers and sisters.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces journalist Krista Tippett who describes an embodied form of grace—the surprising grace of aging. As our minds and bodies slow down, we make space for simple contentment.
There is grief to be had, to be sure, and fear, and lots of simple dismay. But settling into this as best I am able, I experience a wholly unexpected gift of contentment. Contentment is not something I’ve known much in my life and not something I ever really knew I wanted. This, too, is the body’s grace—a gift of physiology, right there alongside my fading hair and skin. At younger ages, our brains are tuned to learn by novelty. At this stage in life, they incline to greater satisfaction in what is routine. Slowing down is accompanied by space for noticing. I am embodied with an awareness that eluded me when my skin was so much more glowy. I become attentive to beauty in ordinary, everyday aspects of my life. There is nothing more delicious than my first cup of tea in the morning; no experience more pleasurable than when my son, now much taller than me, wraps me in a hug; no view I find more breathtaking, over and over again, than the white pine that stands day in and day out behind my backyard. (Rohr, n.d.)
We implore the Spirit to arouse our gratitude for our relationships with family and friends so that we may extend that love to people we encounter on our journey.
References
Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 26 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/26?16
Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?43
Meditation on Matthew 5:43-48. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/03/15/1227036/
Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Radical Grace: Weekly Summary. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/radical-grace-weekly-summary/
Schmersal, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/031525.html
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Love and Pray for Your Enemies. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=mar15
No comments:
Post a Comment