Sunday, February 20, 2022

 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time  (I Samuel 26:2.7-9.12-13.22-23; I Corinthians 15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38)

Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom has just reached a milestone. On February 6 she was head of her country for seventy years. She has done more than fulfill her responsibilities. She has modeled nobility for the world. She has always shown concern for the poor. She has never been involved in scandal. She has exhibited human dignity in both public and personal affairs.  The people of Britannia will remember her with admiration. Similarly, the Jews have esteemed King David.

David was primarily a war-hero. Since his victory over the giant Goliath, he gained respect for defeating Israel's enemies. However, he was far from a perfect human being. He seemed to like violence too much. He wasted no time in having his lover's husband killed. Another vice he had was lust. He had at least six wives. We may wonder why the Bible sees him as the greatest king of Israel. It was not primarily because of his ability to win battles. More significantly, he had a heart ready to forgive like God. He displays this ability in the first reading when he turns down the opportunity to kill his enemy.

In the gospel Jesus instructs his disciples to likewise imitate God's mercy. They are to forgive their enemies. In addition, they are to lend without expecting repayment, bless their adversaries, and give at the request of the other. Of course, these principles apply to us just as much as they did to first-century Christians.

Perhaps we are puzzled by the excessive demand. We ask ourselves, where is justice if anyone can strike me with impunity? Justice is hidden in God's plan. Jesus implies as much in what he says next. Our heavenly Father will not allow us to be destroyed. Rather He will reward us abundantly when His Kingdom comes. In Jesus’s words our lot will be "a good measure, shaken well, pressed down, and running over."

Perhaps our restlessness continues. We ask, could we keep ourselves in peace if we follow Jesus’ directives? Really, it's not easy. But we have examples like Saint Francis and Mother Teresa showing that it is possible. True, people as weak as ourselves are going to fail sometimes. And it will be hard at times to coordinate our responsibilities to family and friends with the demands of the kingdom. In any case, we should not despair. As long as we change our lives to accommodate the gospel principles, we will be fine.

A poor immigrant woman lent out the money she was saving to buy a house. After several months the woman who asked for the loan did not pay it back. Neither did she want to talk about it. Now the lender doesn't know what to do because she needs money to repair her car. Will she violate Jesus' demand by asking her friend to return the money? No. If she were rich and the other person were really needy, there would be reason to forgive the debt. But in this case, the two must work out a plan to ensure their mutual good.

In the second reading today, we hear Saint Paul describing the heavenly man. He says in effect that, moved by the Spirit, the heavenly man has accommodated gospel the principles. He no longer practices the vices of the “first man”: selfishness, lust, and drunkenness. Instead, he has donned the virtues of the Kingdom: nonviolence, kindness, and compassion. He has conformed himself to Christ. His destiny is life with him forever.

Soon we will be beginning Lent. It is time to consider how we can conform to Jesus. Being slow to get angry with people who baffle us? Be more ready to forgive our enemies? Yes, these are the ways of heavenly men and women.