We are so quick to condemn, aren’t we? I am as guilty of this as the next person. It is far easier to curse or bellyache about someone or something, than it is to find some good in someone or something. Throughout the Gospels, the message that we hear multiple times from Jesus is that the mercy that God gives us will equal the mercy we extend to others. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” we pray to God every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer. Do we really want God to forgive us with the same level of forgiveness we dole out to others? The last line of the Gospel today Jesus tells us, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” That should shake us up quite a bit, especially if we have been less than merciful to others.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite,remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.” It is easy to project our own faults and shortcomings on others. We love to hold others accountable for the very faults and sins for we should be held accountable. Jesus tells us that this behavior is not acceptable for his disciples. (Mt 7: 2-5)
Today, Jesus abolishes the old law of vengeance, “an eye for
an eye, a tooth for a tooth” by instituting a new law for 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.” Jesus shortens
this law up in John’s Gospel to “love one another as I have loved you.” We are
given a command from Jesus to abandon the dirty mantle of revenge and hatred by
which the world lives, and cloak ourselves in the mantle of God’s love and
forgiveness. Which will we choose to wear?
