Reading 1
Col 3:12-17
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one Body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Gospel
Lk 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.”
Meditation: Colossians 3:12-17
Have you noticed that so many of the great stories include epic struggles between forces of good and forces of evil?
There is a widespread appeal to these tales that captivates the reader’s imagination and draws him or her into the drama. On one level, these tales resonate because we all sense that we are called to play a vital role in the ultimate struggle between the flesh and the spirit, between the call of the Holy Spirit and the pull of our fallen, self-centered natured.
We have all experienced the tension between showing compassion or contempt, practicing patience or intolerance. Yet by far, the fiercest struggle is the interior fight to forgive someone who has wronged us and hurt us deeply. The open jaws of bitterness and resentment are too great a foe to overcome by our own strength or natural generosity. Here is where St. Paul equips us with the mightiest of weapons: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). The powerful sword of the word of God teaching our minds and filling our hearts can guide us through the minefield of natural impulses and into the mind of Christ.
By dwelling on God’s word throughout the day, we can keep our contact with the Lord and begin to take on his mind. By taking the time to sit quietly with the Bible, we give the Spirit the chance to write his words on our hearts. Then, not only will we find ourselves more merciful, we will also become agents of mercy for others who are finding it hard to forgive.
Do you want to put on the “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” that are at the core of divine mercy (Colossians 3:12)? Then immerse yourself in God’s word! Read it closely, deeply, and prayerfully. Imagine yourself in the scene you are reading. Ask God what he is saying about himself and about you. Let his word dwell in you richly, and you will indeed “put on love, that is, the bond of perfection” (3:14).
“Lord, I marvel at your faithful-ness. As I read your word, fill me with your love and mercy. Teach me to forgive as you forgive. Help me to become a witness to your perfect, life-giving mercy.”
Psalm 150:1-6; Luke 6:27-38
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