LOVE GIVES

 

 

Mom said that these kids saw her sweeping the leaves in the garden one warm afternoon. Then they asked her for a glass of water, which she obliged. Since then, they would drop by occasionally.

One time, my mom volunteered to do the art project of one of these boys in school. Overjoyed, the boy said that he had the best art project in school!

My mom was one of the most unselfish and generous persons that has ever lived. She is happy when she makes other people happy.

Through her life’s example, I learned that wealth is not measured by money. Rather, wealth is measured by the amount of love you give to others. Marisa Aguas (jojangaguas@yahoo.com)

Reflect: To love is to give to others. Are you a loving person?

Help me, Lord, to be sensitive to the needs of others. May I love others as You love me.

St. Joseph Cafasso, pray for us.

It was not easy for the first Christians to evangelize others. They were the “new kids on the block” and those in power were suspicious of them, if not outright hostile. Paul experienced many hardships in his ministry, but it never discouraged him. He just kept on doing what he did best—proclaiming the Gospel to those who listen. We live in a time that is growing more hostile to the Christian message. Let us keep the faith and persevere no matter how hard it gets.

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

1 Brothers and sisters: as your fellow workers, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: in an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; 4 on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, 7 in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; 9 as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.  

Psalm 98:1, 2, 3, 3-4

R: The Lord has made known his salvation.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 In the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

GOSPEL

Christianity is a scandalous set of beliefs according to the ways of the world. Jesus insists that forgiveness is the heart of the Gospel message—God’s forgiveness of our sins and our forgiveness of one another. The world does not understand absolute forgiveness. It understands forgiving the little things but not the big ones. May we be living examples of the power of forgiveness to transform our lives and that of the world.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path.

Matthew 5:38-42

38 Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. 40 If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. 41 Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

think: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

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THE EXTRA MILE

Today’s Gospel has often been misinterpreted. The Old Testament law, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” did not endorse revenge. On the contrary, it tried to restrain and limit revenge. If one tooth was knocked out, you have no right to retaliate by knocking out all the teeth of your enemy—just one. This restraint was hard to practice for hot-blooded people. But Jesus seemingly saw that the time had come to go a step further and teach that all retaliation is evil because revenge does not stop evil but only is an opportunity to go with it.

Jesus’ saying to offer the other cheek when hit is also often misunderstood. Jesus is not teaching softness and cowardice. When He was slapped by a servant of Caiphas, He did not present the other cheek but protested: “If I spoke the truth, why hit me?” (John 18:23). No, Jesus wants us to be firm and strong in the face of evil but urges us to resist our anger and our desire for revenge. Because to take revenge makes us as bad as the person we condemn.

Then Jesus goes two steps further, two steps He made first so that we may follow. First, His followers should not only resist revenge and retaliation but practice forgiveness. On the cross, Jesus prayed for those who tortured Him and were killing Him: “Father, forgive them!” The act of forgiveness is the only way to interrupt the destructive cycle of hatred and evil.

Secondly, do something good, something unexpected for the person who has hurt us. Mankind has sinned, rejected, and violated God’s love. But God did not punish or take revenge. He so loved the world that He sent His Son to save mankind. God continues to do this whenever we receive the sacrament of reconciliation. That is what Jesus asks us to do also. Give the person who hurt you more than he asked for. Go an extra mile with him and for him. This benevolence shocks the most hardened person, softens him, and opens ground for reconciliation and a new, better interpersonal relationship. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS -------

Do you nurture hatred and thoughts of revenge? Or do you readily go the extra mile?

 

Lord, You have forgiven me so many times. You never punished me for my lack of love, for offending You. You just forgave me. Help me to follow Your example. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________