VII Sunday of Ordinary time

We continue to listen to Matthew’s 5 to 7 Sermon at the Mountain, this life coaching on how to be happy! Jesus teaches the crowd and each of us the several attitudes to be happy. 

This week, Jesus keeps teaching u show to be happy in our relationship with others.

Confronted with the offence, the injustice, or the will of power, sometimes comes along the wish for vengeance, the will to repay “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” . How to surpass the wish for vengeance and the temptation to hate?  

Jesus presents us 5 attitudes to live a radically courageous mercy.

1. “Offer the other face… don’t resist evil.”

“But I say to you: Offer no resistance to someone who is wicked. If someone strikes on your right cheek, turn and offer him the other cheek as well”. (Matthew 5:39).

To hit in the face is not only a gesture of violence, but also an insult.  To resist evil would be to respond with violence with similar force (that is, violence) and to offence with offence. We all have the experience on how that path leads only to more violence and more offense. To terminate that evil spiral, the way is not only non-violence but the radical courage of love (the other face of violence and insult)).

Don’t allow that evil controls you, dominate it with love. Do you still believe love will transform the world?

2. “Give to who wants to take from you… Don’t let yourself be robbed.”

“If anyone wishes to sue you to gain possession of your tunic, give him your cloak as well”  (Matthew 5:40)

How many alienated families and brothers hate themselves mortally for inherence issues. What is to you more important, relationships or assets? Jesus dares us to the audacity of always choosing the love relationships. But how to live this without living sad and plundered?

Jesus said: “No one takes it away from me. I lay it down of my own free will” (John 10:18). So, ask the courage and grace to give when they want to take from you.

3. “Go beyond … don’t let yourself remain.”

“If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him for a second mile” (Matthew 5:41)

Do you really want to win?  Then, “Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Go beyond what you “have to do”. Don’t stay only on the “has to be”, ask the grace of “love me more”(João 21:15) “esteem others more highly than yourself” (Romans 12:10). However, the great Victory is not against the other, but against evil, pride, and selfishness.

4. “Give per giving… don’t give because just because they deserve it. “

“Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42).

One of the ways for vengeance is to say and act out of the expression that “everyone should get their due”.  If God acted that way with us, we would be in trouble (still separated from God).  Well, the measure of love is to love without measure. Perfection of love is to love just because, as God!

5. “Love even your enemies… don’t discriminate.”

Hate affects and infects every relationship. We can’t have in our heart love and hate; hate ends up infecting the relationships with those we love. That is why Jesus give us as a way of being happy: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

Attention: don’t try to do any of this alone. Remember what Jesus said: “apart from me you can do nothing”(John 15:5) and “For men this is impossible but for God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

FSS

-Look deep into your hear and ask yourself: am I hurt with someone? Did I forgive them already?  

– Ask Jesus to release your heart of hate, sorrow, and resentment.

– Pray for someone who has hurt you.