GOSPEL
Luke 6:27-38
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’
Acting with mercy like our Heavenly Father can only be done with His grace. But He promises to give us that grace, since He asks us to be merciful. How do we do this? The merciful person does not focus on the harm done to them, nor do they focus on the flaws of the other. They don’t look down on others. Instead, they see the value in the other person and focus on that, restoring their dignity. If we stop focusing on the negative in our spouse and instead recognise their worth to God—that God wants to extend a hand to them, like the father of the Prodigal Son—then we are acting as the Lord asks us Christians to do.
That’s when the Lord will pour out a generous, overflowing measure of love into our marriage. That’s when we will truly discover the wonder of living marital charity.
Applied to Married Life:
Laura: I’m really surprised. For the past few weeks, you’ve had this enviable peace. I criticise you, and you don’t lash out. I make demands, and you don’t complain. I overspend, and you don’t say a word. Instead, you’re more concerned for me than ever, paying more attention to me and being more helpful… I’m baffled. What are you doing to achieve this?
James: For a long time, I’ve been judging and condemning you. That’s why you felt the backlash for your mistakes and irritability. But I’ve learned that this is not love, and I want to love you genuinely. I had no peace within me because I wasn’t living as I was created to live—to be a guardian of true love, as Saint John Paul II says. So, now I don’t look at whether you love me or hate me. Whenever I feel that temptation, I turn to the Lord, and I remember how much He has loved me. Then I respond by loving you, as He asks me to.
Laura: Wow, that’s incredible. I can really feel the difference. I want to try too. Will you help me?
James: Of course. We’ll help each other.
(The growth in their marriage was beyond words.)
Mother,
It is hard to stop focusing on the hurt caused by my spouse, but it is even harder to repair the damage caused by not loving each other. Praise be to the Lord, who has loved us so much that He deserves nothing less than our love and unity. Amen.