Reflection From

Fr. John

February 23, 2025

We continue our walk through the sixth chapter of Luke’s Gospel this week as we hear the words, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31) How many of us have heard this phrase before? This is the famous and often quoted Golden Rule.

While this is an often quoted scripture verse, it is not easy to truly put into practice. Following this verse, the remarks Jesus makes are even harder to put into practice. Christ mentions, “But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back.” (Luke 6:35)

This may be the most difficult and perplexing saying of Jesus. Christ doesn’t ask us to put up with our enemies or to passively accept them. He tells us to love them. The verb for love that Jesus uses here is agape. It is not meant passively but actively. This same verb for love, agape, is used when describing the intimate self-giving love of Christ on the Cross for us and to describe the love that exists between the Father and the Son. We are to have this same type of love for our enemies.

Jesus’ words from the Cross demonstrate the unconditional love of God, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) As Christ was dying on the Cross, He forgave those who put Him there, namely you and me. How much more are we called to forgive and love those who persecute us? Jesus doesn’t just love us when we love Him. He loves us always, including in our sinfulness. In the same way, our love towards others is meant to imitate Christ’s love.

We may face small or grave persecutions, but none of them compare to the insults and suffering that Christ experienced on the Cross. When we are tempted to react in anger or to retaliate let us take a moment and ask for the grace to not react but to respond in charity. Oftentimes, when we respond and not react, we allow the other’s anger to dissipate. We show them that their violence is futile. This is the true meaning of meekness. It is not weakness but power properly applied.

This week, as we meditate upon the calling of Christ to love our enemies in the Gospel, let us reflect on the ways we have loved others even though they may not have loved or respected us. Are we truly striving to live out these words of Christ and how can we improve? The next time someone insults us, may we ask for the grace to return a compliment. When someone cuts us in line or cuts us off while driving, instead of cursing them, may we say a prayer for them and bless them. Then we will truly behave as children of our heavenly Father, who “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Luke 5:45) Then we will share in the freedom of Christ and truly our reward will be great in Heaven.

Father John

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