Cycle A - Year 1:

19 February 2017: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Gospel:Please Read Matthew 5:38-48

A love without limit!

We are now in the month of February, which is traditionally a celebration of love that is observed in many cultures around the world. The highlight of such celebration was Valentine's Day last February 14, when we shared flowers, gifts, and other symbols of love with dear ones and special someone.

But is our love meant only for good people, or those that we care about?

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus challenges us to get out of our "comfort zone" and embrace all people with love. Because our love for God must conquer all, the good people and the bad peole as well. For God's love has no limits and without discrimination.

Let us reflect on God's all embracing love.

Jesus makes it clear that in God's love there is no room for retaliation. He warns His followers to avoid returning evil for evil, but instead must seek the good, even of those who may wish them ill or harm.

It does not mean, however, that as believers in Christ we remain passive before evil and injustice happening around us. No of course, and we must fight evil and injustice in our world, but not out of personal revenge and retaliation but conquering them with love and good deeds. Is this impossible and impractical?

Well, let us ask ourselves what really makes Christianity distinct from other religions. It is really God's grace, meaning treating others not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated by us, and that is, with loving kindness and mercy. Because we leave to God to render justice to those who do us wrong.

If we think this is hard and difficult to follow, the forgiving Christ hanging on the cross is our model. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, revenge, and resentment, and gives us the courage to return evil done to us with good deeds. Such love and grace gives us the power to heal and thus to be saved from destruction.

Remember always, that if we persist in the old law of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth".... sooner or later we will become a blind and toothless society.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!