HOLY GOSPEL of Jesus Christ from the book of
Saint Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
The greatest scandal of Christianity today is that the qualities for which that small community at Antioch were given the name “Christian” are no longer found amongst many so called Christian communities today. Basically, there seems to be no line of distinction today between Christians, Non-believers, Agnostics and even Atheists other than the fact that each Sunday, we go to Church.
What made that first community so unique? What earned them the name “Christian”? It was the Christ-like Love that existed among them; a love that is capable of forgiving one’s enemies right on the cross; a love that does not select its beneficiaries; a love that is purely sacrificial not expecting anything in return. In all honesty, the only love found in our so-called Christian communities today is the business love; a love that is purely based on give and take; a love that is concerned only about those who are capable or willing to reciprocate it; a love that demands much more than it gives; a selective love.
We say we are Christians, yet we fight each other just as non-believers do, sometimes even bloodier than non-believers. We drag ourselves to law courts. We even present our cases before traditional rulers some of whom do not share our faith. In truth, if the people of that community at Antioch behaved like us, they wouldn’t have been called Christians but simply church-goers.
What makes us Christians? It is our ability to rise above the traditional church-goer mentality. It is doing more than the tax collectors who love only those that love them. It is doing more than the Gentiles who greet only those that greet them. It is stepping out of the box, is acting in a manner that is really different from what our society regards as normal. It is doing thing just as Jesus would do if He were to walk this earth again.
Being a Christian is practicing what I would call non-selective goodness. It is being kind to people not because they deserve it but because of who you are; a child whose Father does not discriminate who to benefit or not from his rain.
Saint Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
The greatest scandal of Christianity today is that the qualities for which that small community at Antioch were given the name “Christian” are no longer found amongst many so called Christian communities today. Basically, there seems to be no line of distinction today between Christians, Non-believers, Agnostics and even Atheists other than the fact that each Sunday, we go to Church.
What made that first community so unique? What earned them the name “Christian”? It was the Christ-like Love that existed among them; a love that is capable of forgiving one’s enemies right on the cross; a love that does not select its beneficiaries; a love that is purely sacrificial not expecting anything in return. In all honesty, the only love found in our so-called Christian communities today is the business love; a love that is purely based on give and take; a love that is concerned only about those who are capable or willing to reciprocate it; a love that demands much more than it gives; a selective love.
We say we are Christians, yet we fight each other just as non-believers do, sometimes even bloodier than non-believers. We drag ourselves to law courts. We even present our cases before traditional rulers some of whom do not share our faith. In truth, if the people of that community at Antioch behaved like us, they wouldn’t have been called Christians but simply church-goers.
What makes us Christians? It is our ability to rise above the traditional church-goer mentality. It is doing more than the tax collectors who love only those that love them. It is doing more than the Gentiles who greet only those that greet them. It is stepping out of the box, is acting in a manner that is really different from what our society regards as normal. It is doing thing just as Jesus would do if He were to walk this earth again.
Being a Christian is practicing what I would call non-selective goodness. It is being kind to people not because they deserve it but because of who you are; a child whose Father does not discriminate who to benefit or not from his rain.