Love your enemies and pray for them

2 Cor. 8:1-9, Mt. 5:43-48. Today's readings put a high value on forgiveness and reconciliation. We are advised to swallow our pride and turn away from harsh judgment of others. If we can repent, it shows how others can change. No matter how justified our anger or how eloquent our condemnation, we need to be forgiving and grow to be perfect as our Father is perfect. The ideal of loving our enemies as proposed by Jesus in today's Gospel and even praying for persecutors seems remote and unreal, until we remember His own heroic example, praying for His executioners on the Cross (Lk. 22:34). Jesus continues His Sermon on the Mount, raising the practice of His disciples to a higher level than what was required of the followers of the Mosaic tradition. Not only must we love our neighbours, but also we must love our persecutors, for that is required of the children of a gracious Father. It is not enough for us to avoid revenge, Jesus goes further and urges us to love our enemies.

In today's first reading, Paul echoes this self-giving love as he told the Christians in Corinth about the outstanding generosity shown by the Churches of Macedonia. He was on a goodwill campaign, with the aim of collecting alms from the better-off Christians in Greece, to help the struggling Church at Jerusalem. In this, he tried to be reconciled with the conservatives in Jerusalem, who had rejected him, opposed his apostolic work for the Gentiles and even questioned his right to call himself a Christian. The unconditional love proposed by Jesus would lead us to actually pray for our enemy, as when Jesus prayed forgiveness for those who were responsible for His Crucifixion. The human tendency is to limit our goodwill to those for whom we have feelings of warmth and affection. This is natural love, and its value is clear to everyone. This ideal is only possible in the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

May the Lord help us to continue to reflect on the perfect love of God as we reach out to others! Amen!! Good morning, Peace be with you!!!