Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, 2/16

Dear brothers and sisters,

This is one of those Gospels that by the way we react can manifest what our concept of the Lord is. As you read these lines what is moving in your heart.

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same."

If it is guilt and being overwhelmed that is coming into your heart as you listen to these words it might be because you have an idea of the Lord as an over demanding distant judge, as a boss who is asking you to do all these things. And you might say: But they seem impossible! How can I do this? And little by little an experience of despair comes into our heart or the idea that God is asking too much or maybe the idea that we just have to skip some pages of the Gospel because they simply don't make sense.

A different approach is remembering that God is a kind and merciful Father, that never demands more than we can give, but challenges us to grow. I identify as the sinner who loves those who love me. That is a very good place to start! We NEED to recognize that we NEED the Father. This approach shows us an invitation for greatness that you will not do by yourself. At the beginning it seems to be too big! Like a dad telling his child that it is time to learn how to ride a bike. It is daunting at the beginning and seems impossible but with his help and encouragement and with a few or many falls on the way the child ends up learning to ride the bike. The Father promises not only his Son with his presence in the Eucharist and the Word to support us and show us the path but also the Holy Spirit to help us actually do it. He has never abandoned us!! He is the one who with our effort will transform a sinner into a saint, like SO many before us.

~Fr. Carlos