This passage can be challenging and complex for us, perhaps even feel impossible to live the way Jesus is asking us to. Jesus is calling us to a new way of living and behaving and interacting with others.
We can only do this with God’s help. Matthew 19:26 tells us that with God all things are possible. In John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Without me, you can do nothing”. Jesus is always by our side, helping us do what is necessary for God’s glory and our own good. We need God’s grace to love and be merciful in our lives. Paul said, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me”. Let us continue to be
confident, show courage and live as God planned for us. Let us be a channel for God’s compassion. Let us be open and free in displaying the image of God that is love, forgiveness and peace.
This Gospel reading identifies what it means to follow Christ. We are to follow the example of Jesus and his teachings that we should do good to others without expecting anything in return. We should not return harmful and hurtful acts shown towards us in the same harmful and hurtful way. Jesus invites us to be loving, blessing, praying and offering in our world today, in all circumstances.
Let us ask God to remove the distrust, judgement, condemning from us. Let us pray that he will give us the grace, patience and courage to face and overcome difficult circumstances.
