Active Love

A story is told about a man who knocked upon heaven’s door asking to be let in. St. Peter asked him why he thought he should be let in. The man replied: “My hands are clean.” “Yes,” answered the Gatekeeper, “but they are also empty!”

Today’s gospel (Lk 6:27-38) reminds us that it is not enough to avoid evil; we must also make the world better. In the past, others have said: “do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.” This concept is the source of basic manners and politeness. But Jesus goes even beyond. He says: “Do to others.” Thus Christian ethics leads us to be a positive influence. Our presence should make the world more beautiful and more loving. The Irish philosopher Edmund Burke rightly wrote: “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Jesus challenges us to be a part of the force of goodness in the world. The gospel passage contains four commands from Jesus: love, forgive, do good and pray. They are guidelines of a moral principle that goes beyond the minimum requirement. It is an invitation to offer the other cheek to the one who strikes you or to bless those who curse you. It is acting out the love we have in our hearts.

It might seem to be a form of weakness. In reality, there is so much strength and bravery in forgiving rather than retaliating. In the end, Jesus challenges us to be like him in our willingness to endure unjust suffering for his own sake. Jesus wants us to take up our crosses daily and embrace our day-to-day sacrifices in his name.

Living the Beatitudes

Today’s gospel reading (Lk 6:17, 20-26) is about Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain as recorded by St. Luke. This is something significant because as the “Emmanuel,” Jesus is close to the people and comes down to their level. He does not consider himself part of the elite or the powerful class but one with the poor, the outcast and sinners. Jesus is one who understands their situation and he sees God’s presence and God’s kingdom slowly being realized in their midst.

Jesus taught about the great paradox of this life. He preaches about true “blessedness” and “woes;” in other words he shows us what true wealth is and who are the most miserable in this life. When we understand the point of view of Jesus, we are led to a spiritual awakening. Because only by living the values of the gospel can we really be blessed and we can truly be free.

In teaching us true blessedness, he is really condemning human greed and selfishness. He does not wish that the sole aim of our life is acquiring wealth, seeking comfort and filling up our survival needs. While we need to work hard to provide ourselves with what is necessary to live a dignified life, it is also important that we care for each other since we are a family.

Woe to us if we live our lives insulated from the cares and concerns of those of who suffer poverty and want. Living the beatitudes is a call to conversion. It challenges us to make right choices so as to make this world more caring and more loving.