In our gospel for today we get into the heart of what it means to be a Christian: that of LOVE and FORGIVENESS. Not only are we to love those in our lives such as our family and friends, but we are also to love those that we don't really like or get along with. We all have those people in our lives that "press our buttons" and we find easy to either hate or strongly dislike. What Jesus is teaching us is not something that we can do very easily. Love of spouse or children or family is something that is easy. But Jesus is telling us to love those that hate us and mistreat us!! How can we possibly do this?
Our Lord goes on to teach that we are to turn the other cheek when someone strikes us. The natural reaction to someone striking us is to slug the person right back. This teaching goes beyond just physical assault but verbal abuse as well. Our Lord tells us to offer the other cheek. This is very challenging, but our Lord is teaching us of the importance of forgiveness towards those who wish to harm us.
This teaching of love of neighbor and of turning the other cheek is not a natural thing for us to do, but to be followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord expects us to do this. As our Lord points out, it's easy to love those who love us, but to love our enemies is something that we have to work on as we attempt to live out our calling as Christian. He's attempting to teach us and remind us that everyone, even those people we do not like, are also made in the image of God and are loved by God.
Now, onto the practical: is the Lord expecting us to be in relationships that are not good for us emotionally or physically? I think not. We are to love all people, even those we have difficulty getting along with, but I think our Lord expects us, for our own physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, to keep our distance from those who would harm us. We are to step back from these relationships and pray for those who we have problems getting along with. Further, we are not to judge them or their behavior. Our Lord clearly says, "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37)
Our Lord is challenging us to love everyone in our lives, even those we find it hard to love. And we are to be forgiving of those who harm us, as we pray for them and their wellbeing.
Lord help us to love unconditionally and to be forgiving of all those in our lives that we find it hard to forgive. Amen.
I agree with everything EXCEPT your statement that we should not judge a person's BEHAVIOR.
ReplyDeleteOur LORD clearly states that we should NOT CONDEMN. But I think there is a distinct difference between CONDEMNATION VS DISCERNMENT.
Only GOD completely knows & understands every human being's heart, every person's soul, & the circumstances of every person's life, all of which affect the culpability of his/her actions, words, thoughts & attitudes. So only GOD can determine every person's eternal destiny & only GOD can determine whether any human being is good or evil at the core.
But I believe this does not preclude our need to judge a person's behavior as right or wrong. A person can do something that is wrong without being an evil person. The LORD definitely gave us guidelines to discern right from wrong when He gave us the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament (which He never overruled) & the two greatest commandments (to love GOD with our entire heart, soul, mind & strength & to love our neighbors as ourselves.) So we can & should discern a person's behavior as right or wrong without judging or condemning the PERSON. Without the ability to judge a person's behavior as right or wrong we would have a totally lawless society, which would definitely NOT be GOD'S will.
People do things that are obviously wrong according to the dictates of the 10 Commandments, but many times, due to a mental disease or other illness, the person actions appear sinful, but they are not really responsible for their actions due to the illness. That's where we need to be non-judgmental. Yes, we do have laws that needs to be applied, but we need to show compassion on those who may act contrary to the law due to these mental disorders and apply the law in a way that's compassionate and forgiving of them while protecting others from their actions.
DeleteFrom Nilda: I agree with your homily on:
ReplyDeleteTrinitarian: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you... (archnydeacon.blogspot.com),
which I found that you have splendidly summarized in the following paragraph:
Now, onto the practical: is the Lord expecting us to be in relationships that are not good for us emotionally or physically? I think not. We are to love all people, even those we have difficulty getting along with, but I think our Lord expects us, for our own physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, to keep our distance from those who would harm us. We are to step back from these relationships and pray for those who we have problems getting along with. Further, we are not to judge them or their behavior. Our Lord clearly says, "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37)
Your friend, Arlene, commented that:
"But I believe this does not preclude our need to judge a person's behavior as right or wrong. A person can do something that is wrong without being an evil person. The LORD definitely gave us guidelines to discern right from wrong when He gave us the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament (which He never overruled) & the two greatest commandments (to love GOD with our entire heart, soul, mind & strength & to love our neighbors as ourselves.) *So we can & should discern a person's behavior as right or wrong without judging or condemning the PERSON. Without the ability to judge a person's behavior as right or wrong we would have a totally lawless society, which would definitely NOT be GOD'S will.”
-So what is she saying? How can we not discern a person’s behavior as right or wrong without the ability to judge or condemn the person. An ability to discern a person’s behavior cannot become a reality, unless the person puts it into practice.
*This part of your friend’s comment is very confusing and quite contradictory to me. What is her point, here?
In the Biblical reading of John 5: 20-30, it is clearly stated, as who is the final judge of mankind.
20For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed.l
21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,* so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.m
22Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment* to his Son,n
23so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
24Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life.o
25Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.p
26For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself.q
27And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man.r
28* Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voices
29and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.t
30“I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.u
My final statement is that abide by the Reading above as, the TRUTH and the WHOLE TRUTH! AMEN
In Christ,
Nilda, OCDS
My point is that wrong actions are always wrong actions. Degree of culpability for these actions vary according to what is in the person's heart & mind & the circumstances of the person's life.
ReplyDeleteGOD gave us a set of laws to follow. This is objective morality by which we are supposed to live. But only GOD has the ability & the right to know what is going on inside the person & the circumstances of the person's life & thus only GOD has the right to judge the person & determine the consequences of the person's behavior in eternity.
For example: two people commit adultery. The act of adultery is wrong behavior & potentially a grave sin. We judge the behavior as wrong. What we do not know & have no right to judge is the mental state & circumstances of the people's lives who committed the act that affects their degree of culpability. The right to determine their degree of culpability & the spiritual & eternal consequences are reserved to GOD alone. Thus, we judge the behavior as wrong but we do not condemn the people.