Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Ben Riley
Today’s reading comes from the Sermon on the Plain—Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount—where Jesus delivers His essential teaching on love. We should strive to be attentive to His words because they challenge not only our moral lives but also our very understanding of God. In a world where headlines remind us of conflict and hatred—like the tragic and often violent news we see broadcast every day—Jesus calls us to a radically different way of life: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28).
This is not a gentle suggestion but a revolutionary command. It forces us to break free from the common cycle of “I’ll give to you, only if I can get something in return.” My fellow sinners, by nature, we have a tendency to love those who love us—but our call as followers of Christ is to surpass that natural tendency and love those who are thought to be unlovable. We are called to reach for a love that is heroic and truly divine.
The core difficulty with today’s Gospel lies in the inherent struggle of giving in a way that is self-sacrificial. It is very challenging to give without any strings attached. I don’t know about you, but I experience this every Christmas. I receive a gift and think to myself, What a wonderful, freely given gift! But then I feel obligated to send a thank-you note. And let’s be honest—does the giver truly expect nothing in return? Or if they never receive a thank-you note, is there not just a little bit of resentment? Human giving is steeped in expectation.
And yet, with God, it’s different. God gives the world its very existence, offers us His law and covenant, and even gives us the sacrifice of His only begotten Son on the cross—all without any expectation. As Christians, we are called not merely to be good and nice people, but to be transformed by Christ living within us, so that we, too, can give freely, loving without expecting repayment.
Paul reminds us that it is no longer “I” who live, but Christ who lives in me. This radical truth means that our lives must reflect the way God gives. Jesus encourages us in the Gospel, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap” (Luke 6:38). Thomas Aquinas explained that true love is “to will the good of the other” without self-interest. When we embrace this divine way of living, we break free from the human habit of keeping the score. Instead, we offer forgiveness and love as freely as our Creator has loved us.
Loving our enemies begins with asking for God’s grace to forgive. Remember the example of Pope John Paul II, who, after suffering an unspeakable act of violence—being shot in St. Peter’s Square—forgave his attacker. Consider Saint Maria Goretti, who forgave the man who stabbed her 14 times, Alessandro Serenelli.
And of course, Jesus shows us the power of forgiveness when He absolved His executioners from the cross, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). By praying for the well-being of those who hurt us, as challenging as this can be, we not only release the burden of resentment but also open ourselves to the gift of transformation. In doing so, we begin to see our enemies not as adversaries but as fellow children of God.
The challenge of loving our enemies is also an invitation to see people in a new light. When we, in humility, remember that we too are sinners in need of Christ’s mercy, we understand that each individual, no matter how broken they may seem, is a beloved child of God and capable of reconciliation. This act of forgiveness is not something we can accomplish with our own strength. It is truly the transformative power of divine love—a love that not only forgives them but also renews and restores us.
Jesus calls us to a love that is radical, free, and without expectation.
And so, let me conclude with this: Is there someone with whom you have a grudge? Someone against whom you seek revenge? Think for a moment of that person’s name. All of us have someone we don’t like, someone who has hurt us, someone we would rather not talk to—much less meet. Someone whose very name or presence makes our blood pressure rise. What’s that person’s name?
Let us pray for them now and each time we think about them, especially when we feel old wounds reopening. Let this Mass be the beginning of a new attitude—of loving even those who have deeply wounded us.
My brothers and sisters, let us bow our heads in prayer:
“Lord, help us to love those who have wounded us, to forgive those who have hurt us, and to see every person through Your loving eyes. Grant us the grace to give freely, as You give without expecting anything in return. May we be transformed by Your love and become true children of the Most High. Amen.”