7th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 2-23-25


Love Your Enemies

“Here's a question for our culinary experts: What food product contains the following ingredients: Annatto Extract, Cellulose Gum, Cocoa Powder, Coloring Agents, Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Eggs, Gelatin, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Maltodextrin, Modified Cornstarch, Monocalcium Phosphate, and Salt, among many others?

If your answer is "Chocolate Fudge Stripe Layer Cake," you're correct! For most of us, this list of ingredients might seem mysterious, even puzzling. However, to the baker who knows the recipe, the relationships between these elements are perfectly clear.”1

Just as it is difficult on our own perhaps, to make such a cake, still harder it may seem to be  to follow Jesus ’ recipe,  found in this weekend’s gospel, for living a full and rich life in his kingdom. By ourselves it would be very difficult indeed.    But with the grace of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it is possible and most achievable to live the way Jesus  has asked of us.  And how can that be we may ask?  For the answer, I believe we need only to look at St. Paul’s  letter to the Corinthians in  our second reading this weekend: “Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, (i.e., Adam)  we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one (i.e., Christ). (Corinthians 15: 49).    It is in believing that we bear His image and living out our baptism through the choices we make, that we can live the way that Jesus has asked of us, and do what Jesus requests of us to do; “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.” (Luke 6:30-31)

All of what Jesus  has asked us to do is possible, but not by our own capacities, but only in Him, and through him  who empowers us.  For as we read in St. Paul’s other letter to the Romans:

“For the kingdom of God is a matter …  of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit;  whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by others.  Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to the building up one another.  (Romans 14:17-18)

1.         Voicings.com

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