Sunday, February 23, 2025

SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

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

Today's gospel touches on a very pressing political issue in recent years. Read carefully, it can lead us to a greater compassion for immigrants and a policy to lessen a world-wide crisis.

Jesus is in the middle of his “Sermon on the Plain” in the Gospel according to Saint Luke. It is the counterpart to the more famous “Sermon on the Mount” in the Gospel of Saint Matthew. In truth, neither comprises a complete sermon. Rather, both are compilations of various sayings of Jesus organized around different themes. In Saint Matthew Jesus chooses the mountain to deliver his high teachings on morality. Saint Luke reserves the mountains for prayer and has Jesus giving moral lessons on a plain.

We heard the first part of the “Sermon on the Plain” last Sunday. Jesus announced four beatitudes consoling the oppressed and four “woes” warning the oppressors. Now Jesus focuses on divine love; that is, love that seeks nothing in return. It gives of itself simply to help the other. The surprising thing is that Jesus requires his disciples to practice this kind of love toward their enemies as well as their friends.

Enemies are not only those who would harm us but also those who threaten our interests. People in rich countries often see immigrants as enemies who want to take advantage of the resources of their adopted land without contributing proportionally. In Italy for many years the Roma, often called “zincari” (the Italian word for “gypsies”), have attracted the opprobrium of the people. Roma women can be seen begging in public places with their children. Meanwhile, their men have the reputation of being pickpockets and thieves. Generally, Italians resent the Roma and want them deported. The ethics that Jesus proposes in the gospel urges another stance. He calls on the disciples to support the Roma. This may be in direct aid or in contributions to charities that care for the poor.

Right now the entire world is focused on what the president of the United States will do with the millions of undocumented immigrants in America. Will he begin mass deportations, or will he limit his extraditions to those undocumented who have committed crimes? In this gospel Jesus is addressing individuals, not governments. However, it can be said that deporting millions of people would reflect a stance of disdain and abuse, not gospel love.

The second part of the reading has to do with the treatment of one's neighbor - that is, an acquaintance who might ask us for a loan. According to Jesus, we should respond in favor of this type of person, not react against him. It is really the same kind of response that we should give to our enemies. Instead of worrying about our own interests, we should act with the true interests of other people in mind. In short, as children of God, we are to treat everyone as the One who blesses everyone.

Certainly the Gospel of St. Luke has exquisite stories and portraits of Jesus. We hear of the Prodigal Son and of Jesus forgiving the “Good Thief” in this gospel alone. But the beauty of the images that the gospel leaves us does not diminish the vehemence of Jesus’ demands in this gospel. In fact, it increases their force because only with divine love -- a strong love that seeks nothing in return -- are we going to become people with everlasting beauty. Only with divine love, are we going to become sons and daughters of God.