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.”
REFLECTION
“Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.”
When we consecrate ourselves to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we entrust ourselves entirely to His mercy. Through baptism, we become His brothers and sisters. We share in His divine sonship. In turn He gives us His Mother, our Mother, as the model for all her children.
A mother loves and sometimes dotes on her children. She introduces us to Jesus, cooks, sews, and sacrifices herself for her family. The last one to eat, last one to go to bed and the first up, she is the one who keeps the family together. She struggles and does all because of love. After all, she knew us before the world did as she nourished and cared for us while we were still in her womb.
In 2005 I went to Medjugorje, by myself: rosary in hand, knee pads in place to beg my Mother to intervene for a very personal and seemingly impossible intention. You might say it was my last Hail Mary pass: My last-ditch attempt to find my loved one.
No surprise, my prayer was answered in less than 24 hours. From that moment I knew my Mother. I realized then her role in my life and in His divine plan. Mary which means “Star of the Sea” is a beacon of light; not allowing us to live in darkness but to always find her shining light and leading us to her Son. During this very dark time in my life, when I was teaching myself how to pray, asking how can God help and feeling overwhelmed with failure and isolation, she was my Mother who never wavered, who did not judge, who interceded for me, for her Son is kind and merciful even to the ungrateful and the wicked.
St Therese of Lisieux said, “Do not be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin Mary too much, you will never love her enough, and Jesus will be very happy, because the Blessed Virgin Mary is His Mother.”
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