Luke 6:27-38
Jesus said to his disciples: "To you who hear I say, 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 you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.
"Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for families who have been affected by the Russian hostage situation.
There is a song that's called "Love Changes Everything." In fact, it does.
Reading through today's reading, I can see how I need to love better, and in loving better, how it will need to require a change in me. By myself, today's reading is tough to follow. Through Christ, I know that loving is not something that I can do on my own, but it is because of the love Our Lord has for me, the love Our Lord has for every human life, and the love Our Lord that is imprinted on each of us.
Today's reading is not about the "emotional" love, but the challenging love that we are all called to imitate as Christians. Today's reading is something that we will all struggle with, but also something that will allow us to grow closer to Our Lord through His suffering and how He love those who persecuted Him, and how He loves us who placed Him on the cross. Take care and God Bless.
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