Sunday Gospel Comment
Alberic Jacovone OSB
YEAR C SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - 22.2.04 1 Sam 23,2.7-7.12-13.22-23; 1 Cor 15,45-49; Lk 6,27-38 Jesus’ toughest lesson Love!
whatever the cost.
Today’s Gospel obliges us to face our deepest obligation: no matter how sad,
shattered, disappointed, broken... our relationships with one another may
become, we must never loose respect for the human dignity of “us &
them”, and never stop from the ‘hunger & thirst for justice’. At the
time of the Roman Empire and all other empires, people knew only too well how to
deal with opposition or revolt against their ‘law & order’. Their motto
was: If you want peace, set up for war (Si vis pacem, para bellum). But Jesus’ command to ‘Love at all cost!’
refers to all human situations and human interactions: it covers the duty of
negotiating with the ‘crazy’international revolutions, freedom-fighters,
terrorists & Talibans across the world, and it happens to be the rule
governing the intimacy of our family, communal and personal relationships, as we
struggle and long, to establish peace and harmony in our life situations, which
sadly are in constant conflict & tension. Jesus lived at a time of tragic
political upheaval, when people were pushing for freedom, lots of ‘zealots’
and terrorists were causing riots, and any suspect of revolution was treated
with the harshest suppression. In this explosive climate, Jesus appears as a
powerful Jewish leader & teacher in the line of the ancient prophets. His
ideals were so lofty, that he baffled both the religious and civil authorities,
and in the end he became a political liability for the society of his time.
Jesus’ tough lesson to choose to remain in love, was issued not so much, to
provide an option during times of revolution, but it applies to all our human
situations. Jesus invited then, and invites us now, to trust in God and choose
not to pursue those who oppress or harm us, and not to hate or retaliate. But choose instead to remain in
love and continue to hunger & thirst for justice. For Jesus is not a matter
of romantic feeling, but one of tough choice. The
command to love enemies makes sense When hell breaks loose in our relationships, and our hopes become
irretrievably shattered, our loyalties become confused and our hearts broken:
what are we to do? Well, especially in these situations we must take on Jesus’
incredible example on the cross, when he prayed ‘forgive them, they do not
know what they are doing’. Jesus invites us to adopt a noble and nearly
impossible option while at the same time believing with all our strength and
trusting in God alone. Out of this context Jesus says: Repent & return to
God - love your enemy - turn the other cheek - hunger & thirst for justice -
accept to live alone & celibate - sell all you have, give it to the poor
& live like the poorest of the poor. Since the time of Jesus, we know that
millions of men and women -many of them we call ‘Saints’- have taken this
challenge and have transformed their life in an outstanding way, becoming great
people in history. ______________________________________ |
