Homily for June 19, 2018.
“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the evil upon his house.” 1 Kings 21:29.
It appears there is a contraction between our first reading today and our Gospel passage. While God sends Elijah to Ahab to deliver a message of curses (vengeance) for Naboth’s murder, Jesus is telling us that it is in loving our enemies that we can be as perfect as God. How do we reconcile the image of God in our first reading with that of our Gospel passage?
By the way, what does Jesus mean by being perfect like God? Does being perfect imply that we allow those who perpetrate evil go scot free? Wouldn’t that be tacitly supporting evil? If we do not speak against injustice or show hatred for what is wrong, then what is the essence of being good? Dear friends, we must understand that there is a whole world of difference between hating evil and hating an evil-doer. And this is where we find the connection between our both readings.
God apparently hates evil. God does not tolerate sin. God doesn’t just watch while innocent lives are being crushed by those in power. This is why God sent Elijah to Ahab. God hates sin. Nonetheless, God loves the sinner. God never turns his merciful gaze away from one who sincerely repents and expresses sorrow for his sins. God’s love for people is so strong that even the worst sinner can receive forgiveness and secure a ticket to heaven at the very last moment (like the thief who was crucified beside Jesus).
Jesus says “love your enemies (persons),” he didn’t say love the evils they do. Jesus is not saying we should condone evil. Jesus is telling us to treat the sinner like a person who does bad things, not like a bad thing who happens to be a person. The kind of love he is talking about is the kindness of surrendering such persons to God in prayer. The love that Jesus is talking about is the love God showed to Ahab when he humbled himself and repented of his sin.
Dear friends, we can actually love our enemies if we realize that they are just humans after all. This entails refraining from labelling anyone; refusing to look at a person through the lens of the evil he or she has done. It is seeing people as God does when He allows his rain (goodness, favours, blessings, provisions etc.) fall on both the good and the bad. Loving our enemies entails that like the Prodigal Father, we sit at the front pouch waiting and hoping for the return of our lost son. It entails forgetting what they have done and realizing they are still persons.
If God does not bless us according to the degree of our holiness (righteousness), then we ought not to save our goodness (our kindness, favours, greetings, good wishes etc.) only for those who are good to us. Jesus knows this is very hard to do, so, he gives us a reason (a strong motivation) why we have to step out of our comfort zone to love our enemies: TO PLACE OURSELVES ABOVE THE GENTILES.
In other words, our failure to love those who hate us keeps us on the same level as non-Christians. Our failure to forgive people puts a big question mark on our baptismal certificates. Our failure to be merciful to people as God was merciful to Ahab makes us no better than Jezebel. It is horrible for someone to kill another person (because of land or anything whatsoever) but it is even more horrible for a Christian to partake in jungle justice which has now become the order of the day in our world today.
When people offend you, you always have two choices; one, to hold on the Cross and say with Jesus: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” or two, to look for a way to transfer your pain unto him or her. The first choice will not bring you instant happiness but even the second choice does not contain instant happiness either. The difference is that while the first choice makes you a Christian and washes your heart from hatred (i.e. giving the devil a space in your innermost being), the second choice makes you a pagan, makes you do things you later regret, increases your anger, brings out the animal in you, deepens strife, makes you lose a friend and ultimately allows the devil order you around.
We are all used to the second choice. Why can’t we begin today to use the first choice?
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, give me the Grace to live above my natural instincts, to forgive, to let go and to give. Amen.
Happy new week. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Tuesday of the 11th week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1st Kings 21:17-29, Psalm 51:3-16, Matthew 5:43-46).
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