Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

How easy is it for us to get angry in this life? To offer curses instead of love? Perhaps a classic example is road rage…

Today Jesus continues to tell us how we should behave towards others. He tells us how we should love.

We know we should love God. And our neighbour. But our enemies? How can we love those who have hurt us in some way or another? Well part of the reason why we find this so difficult is due to how we see love in this day and age. We see it as an emotion and a feeling.

Whereas Jesus want us to see it as an action. He wants it to be a decision that we make rather than simply a feeling that we experience.

He wants us to speak well of others and act well towards them. To return curses with a blessing. To even pray for those who abuse us. Because if we can do that then God himself can provide the blessing for that person.

That is how we love our enemies by praying for those who hurt us and damage us. To always will the good of the other.

We must somehow be able to rise above the standards of this world by being kind even to our enemies. By loving those who don’t deserve it.

Jesus is calling us to a radical love with others in order to transform them into something new. We have to rise above being rational and be super rational in our love. This takes supernatural effort on our behalf. It sounds impossible but through God’s grace all things are possible.

What would you really like somebody to do for you and do it for them. Instead of being nasty to someone who has deliberately hurt you – show them lavish generosity and kindness in response.  It’s easy to love those who love us. But for those that don’t? Natural virtue is good. But it only gives us natural credit. Supernatural virtue gives us supernatural credit.

How difficult it is to give with no strings attached. Subconsciously we expect something in return. To give something utterly freely. Ultimately only God can do this because he is the only one who needs nothing in return. He allows the sun to rise on both the good and the bad.

The logic of heaven is counter intuitive to the logic of this world. It’s not just irrational. It’s super rational. Remember that Jesus gave to everyone around him – even to the point of his death.

You might say that Christians are crazy. What’s the point of letting others take advantage of you all the time? Why are we so weak?

But vulnerability can be a strength. When we are weak we are strong.

Think about how many lashes Jesus received from the Roman soldiers. Do you think he was a weak man?

The most powerful force for change in this world full of conflict and sin is not revenge or violence, but forgiveness.

The mighty Roman Empire was built by force and violence, but where is it now? Whereas the Catholic Church built on forgiveness and unconditional love is the longest lasting institution in the history of this world.

And Jesus reminds us not to judge others lest we be judged ourselves. We can judge an action and a situation – but not the person. We will never know the full story relating to that person – only God does.

In the first reading Saul comes after David with 3000 men! David has an opportunity to easily kill Saul and solve everything. But his chooses radical mercy instead.

Ten years ago Pope Francis proclaimed a Year of Mercy. People could come to the Church and get an indulgence much like we can today is this year of Hope.

He famously stated that as human beings we judge by looking at the surface whereas God looks deeply into the soul.

He said that so much harm is done when people are motivated by jealousy or envy. To speak badly of someone leaves them open to false gossip and rumour.

However when we choose to focus on the good in people we do not presume a superficial judgement. We choose to love them. As we ourselves would like to be loved.

Let’s choose to follow the advice of Jesus in how we should live our lives and relate to those around us. May we always be merciful like the Father.