7th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
Love according to the English dictionary is an intense feeling of deep affection or a great interest and pleasure in something. But for us Christians, Love is the most predominant virtue of Christianity. It is the most important force in the world, the greatest commandment of God and the summary of all the commandments, hence, Jesus in the Scriptures commands us to love God and our neighbors as ourselves.
In today’s Gospel reading Luke 6:27-38, Jesus challenges us to love those who wrong us. This seemed to be a herculean task but if we pay attention to God’s love for us, it seems achievable. God’s love for us is shown in all He has done for us and continues to do in our lives. He created us in His image and likeness, blessed us with our needs and wants, sent His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ to suffer and die for our redemption, sent the Holy Spirit, the Consoler to bestow His gifts upon us. Then through Christ’s apostles and disciples that same Love help spread God’s good news to strengthen and enlighten us and through the Catholic Church, continue to bestow God’s mercies, blessings and graces upon us in the Sacraments.
Love is of supreme significance in our lives as Christians, because without it, we are nothing for God is Love.Today’ s gospel reading urges us to pay attention to two important components of love that can help us grow in our relationship with God and in our spiritual life so as to attain the kingdom of heaven.The first component is FORGIVENESS.Forgiveness makes love possible, for by forgiving others, we let go of the hurt and welcome newness of life and growth.We can’ t love, unless we forgive and that is why our salvation story emphasizes God’ s pardon of our sins and faults to let His love overshadow us.The action of David in the first reading from 1 Samuel 26: 2, 7 - 9, 12 - 13, 22 - 23 shows us how Love is rekindled in or with forgiveness.The second component is SACRIFICE.Sacrifice makes Love existent, which means without sacrifice how then can we love one another, accommodate one another, appreciate one another and accept one another.God’ s sacrifice in sending His only begotten Son to save us and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross shows us what love is all about.
Hence my brothers and sisters, as we are challenged today by Jesus to love those who wrong, let us pray for the grace to forgive one another and sacrifice for the greater good, so as to let love be evident in our lives and our world today.
