Listen

“But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer the other one as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t withhold your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks and don’t demand your things back from those who take them.”

Luke 6:27-30

Think

In many movies, someone is wronged and later returns to take revenge on the people who have wronged him. I have noticed that, when the movie ends, the number of people eliminated by the “hero of the movie” is much higher than the number of people who suffered in the beginning. As I reflect on Jesus’ words in our scripture, I wonder how to interpret his message in the face of the call to be “strong,” “brave,” or “heroic” that seems to be in our societies. Might some people think of Jesus as weak when they read that we should love those who are our enemies or that we should offer the other cheek when we are beaten?

Dr. Lydia Hernandez Marcial comments that Jesus proposes an upside-down world with his words. While the world proposes an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, Jesus proposes love and forgiveness. While the world seeks revenge, Jesus proposes peace and reconciliation.

Marissa Galván-Valle

Question to Ponder:

How can I act with love, forgiveness and reconciliation in difficult and conflictive situations in my life, instead of acting with violence or a desire for revenge?

Pray

God of forgiveness, love, and reconciliation, Jesus speaks to us of a world turned upside down where violence and abuse are met with peace and love. I want to be like Jesus. Help me to find ways to stand up to injustice, raising my voice in protest and acting toward others with love and generosity.

Amen.

Go

Always return to your point of origin: God. Inhale for a count of four. Hold that air inside your being for four seconds. Exhale for a count of four. Every time you breathe, remember that God is in every breath.