Homily for 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Homily for the
7th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Feb. 24, 2019 

Luke 6: 27-38

Nativity, Washington, D.C.                  

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6: 36).

We’re all familiar with the teaching of Genesis ch. 1 that men and women are created in the image of God (1:27).  Jesus teaches us today that we’re supposed to think and act like images of God; we are to be reflections of God’s mercy.

All of us, I think, are guilty sometimes of talking and acting like we think we’re God.  That, of course, isn’t the same thing, not at all.

Pope Francis has been trying to teach us that the name of God is mercy.  That’s what Jesus is saying today, even if not in so many words.  That’s what Jesus’ entire life was about, showing us in his words and actions how merciful God is.

The point of that mercy isn’t that we deserve it.  Hardly.  If God treated us as we deserve, most of us, if not all of us, would end up in a very bad place.  God sent us his Son precisely because need mercy, need forgiveness, need redemption.  And all we have to do is admit that and ask humbly for it.

Oh, there is one more thing.  That’s what Jesus is telling us today:  we must offer to others the same mercy that we hope to receive from God thru him.  Jesus doesn’t say, “This is my hope,” or “This is my suggestion”; but “This you must do.”  He commands us to imitate his Father’s mercy—his Father whom he calls also our Father.  He commands us to love our enemies, bless them, do good to them; to be generous with those who ask for our help, without regard for what they might be able to do for us in return; not to pass harsh judgments on the actions of others.

Return of the Prodigal Son -- an illustration of God's mercy -- by Pompeo Batoni

All of which we find hard to do, very hard.  When it comes to others, we want justice, not mercy!  Give ’em what they deserve—or what we think they deserve.

Only when we pause long enuf to reflect on how God treats us does our attitude start to change; only when we hear our Lord Jesus forgive his own executioners (Luke 23:34).  Then our own genuine conversion can begin.

It begins with a desire to be like Jesus, to be forgiving, generous, kind, patient.  It begins with prayer that our Father will help us come to that place in our spiritual lives, our attitudes, even our behavior:  not to wish evil on those who’ve offended us, not to retaliate or seek vengeance—but to ask God to give them the graces they need just as we pray he’ll give us the graces we need; and to treat everyone, even offensive relatives or co-workers courteously, whether they deserve it or not.

I suppose most of us find it a bit of a relief that Jesus doesn’t command us to like our enemies, those who hate us, those who curse us, those who mistreat us.  Nor does he tell us to desire their company.  Instead:  “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (6:31).  Be kind and patient around them, look for good interpretations for their sins or mistakes (as we judge them, in our not-so-humble opinion) as far as possible, don’t speak ill of them.  (Didn’t your mother tell you over and over again, “If you can’t say anything good about so-and-so, don’t say anything”?)  “Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (6:35)—which too often includes us, too.

All of this is hard, maybe the hardest thing that Jesus asks of us.  Undoubtedly we need his help.  Learning to forgive, as I said, begins with a desire; and with prayer.  And then it takes time and effort and practice.  It takes letting go of our own pride and stubbornness (oh, how we hang on to those!—and not to our benefit, as we admit in our more lucid moments).  It takes turning our eyes and our wills toward Jesus—every day, and the more often each day, the better.  We could well pray daily today’s Collect:  “Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, always pondering spiritual things, we may carry out in both word and deed what is pleasing to you.”  And we pray that, as we do almost all our liturgical prayers, thru Jesus Christ, in the name of Jesus Christ, who alone is our Savior, the one who delivers us from our pride, our selfishness, our hardness of heart, our sins.  To him be glory, forever and ever!