It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Perfection Can Be Rather Difficult, a Reflection on Matthew 5:43-48

If not hitting back isn't hard enough, or if giving to anybody who asks for something isn't, then comes a rule that may seem impossible to some of us--love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

The reason that Jesus gives for loving our enemies is that we have to do it so that we may be the children of our Father in heaven. Try this for an exercise today: as you read the newspaper or watch cable TV, every time you get mad at something somebody says something you absolutely know is wrong or stupid, pause for a moment to consider loving them even a little. Can you do it? Can you believe that God wants you to? Yes, I know it would be better for me to be using "we" rather than "you" here.

Jesus could well have been much more familiar with the teachings of Proverbs than we have bothered to be. For example "Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble, or else the Lord will see it and be displeased... (I'm omitting the troubling part)" (24:17-18a).

Jesus demonstrated God's love for everyone--people they like and people they don't, by reminding them that God makes the sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. In a kingdom ruled by God rather than by our own needs and prejudices, we are supposed to do the same.

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