Ordinary Time

Pause

Only together, hand in hand, as God’s family and not as one another’s enemy, can we ever hope to end the vicious cycle of revenge and retribution.

Desmond Tutu in God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time (2003)

Listen

“If you love those who love you, why should you be commended? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, why should you be commended? Even sinners do that. If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, why should you be commended? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to be paid back in full. Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing in return. If you do, you will have a great reward. You will be acting the way children of the Most High act, for he is kind to ungrateful and wicked people. Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.”

Luke 6:32-36

Think

God does not discriminate when it comes to who receives love and who does not. No matter who you are. No matter what you have done. No matter where you are from. God loves you. Like the rain that falls upon the good and the evil alike, so the love of God extends to all without exception.

In our world we think we are very good at deciding who is worthy or unworthy, good or bad, in or out. However, Jesus invites us to see the world as God does and to love the world as God does. God is kind even to people who are unkind. God is gracious even to people who are ungrateful.

No one earns God’s love; it is a gift. We receive love because God gives love to all. Jesus teaches his followers not to discriminate between in and out or friend and enemy. We are called to love others — friend and enemy alike — because God does it first.

Kyle Caudle

Pray

Compassionate God, you love me even when I am at my most unlovable. Teach me to love others even when I find them unlovable. Help me to think and dream of a world where love and compassion are the way. Amen.

Go

As you go, remember you are loved,

loved so deeply by the God who loves this world.

Drawing from the divine depths of this love,

may you join hands with others — even your enemies —

in making God’s dream come true.

Amen.