Gospel
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you; and from one who takes away your goods, do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
‘If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
‘Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.’
The Lord asks us to love—even when it feels utterly unjust—so that we may be like the Father, who is good to the wicked and ungrateful. And thank God for that, because if He weren’t, I would have no place in His Heart.
He never asks me for anything that He doesn’t already do for me. So, if loving those who treat me unfairly feels painful, I must remember that I need Him to love me in the same way. It’s not a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Applied to Married Life:
Andrew: Our faith is incredibly demanding. Don’t you think so, Michelle? Loving those who hate me seems too much. I could understand “Don’t hate those who are unjust to you,” but actually loving them? That’s another level.
Michelle: Do you remember how much we hurt each other yesterday? We treated each other like enemies, didn’t we, Andrew?
Andrew: True. We were both really harsh.
Michelle: And all that harshness—we were throwing it directly at the Heart of Jesus, because He is present in our marriage. And how did He respond?
Andrew: We went to confession, and He forgave everything instantly—without a single complaint or reproach.
Michelle: He wrapped us in His merciful love and restored our peace, even though we had betrayed Him in our Sacrament.
Andrew: That’s true.
Michelle: So, shouldn’t we do the same when the other judges unfairly, criticises, or disregards us?
Andrew: We should, yes.
Michelle: Exactly.
Andrew: Thank you, Michelle. Let’s give each other the love we receive from Him.
Mother,
Because sin exists, so does God’s mercy. May we love each other with that same mercy. Praise be to the Lord, who loves us even when we make ourselves His enemies.