Gospel for June 18, 2013, Tuesday Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. Posted at 06/18/2013 2:16 AM | Updated as of 06/18/2013 2:17 AM 11th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 3 Ps 146:2, 5–6ab, 6c–7, 8–9a Praise the Lord, my soul! 1st Reading: 2 Cor 8:1–9 Now I want you to know about a gift of divine grace among the Churches of Macedonia. While they were so afflicted and persecuted, their joy overflowed and their extreme poverty turned into a wealth of generosity. According to their means—even beyond their means—they wanted to share in helping the saints. They asked us for this favor spontaneously and with much insistence and, far beyond anything we expected, they put themselves at the disposal of the Lord and of us by the will of God. Accordingly, I urged Titus to complete among you this work of grace since he began it with you. You excel in everything: in the gifts of faith, speech and knowledge; you feel concern for every cause and, besides, you are first in my heart. Excel also in this generous service. This is not a command; I make known to you the determination of others to check the sincerity of your fraternal concern. You know well the generosity of Christ Jesus, our Lord. Although he was rich, he made himself poor to make you rich through his poverty. Gospel: Mt 5:43–48 Jesus said to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust. “If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect.” Reflection: What good does it do to love your enemy? Wouldn’t that be against natural justice? Wouldn’t it be dangerous and serve only to make the enemy stronger and us, weaker? The case of Sr. Rani Maria and her family could help us understand how loving one’s enemy can work miracles: Rani Maria was a Franciscan Clarist Sister, who was serving the poor and the oppressed in Udainagar in India. Her service angered the rich and the powerful who had her butchered to death in 1995. Sr. Rani Maria’s family members visited the assassin in the prison, offered their forgiveness, adopted him as a member of their own family, and appealed to the government for commuting the sentence. The assassin repented, received baptism, and upon his release, visited the tomb of Sr. Maria and wept. He fell at the feet of her parents and begged for their forgiveness, and they embraced him as their own. Today he testifies to the power of the Gospel to heal violence, reconcile enemies, and sprout love in human hearts. How would you have responded if you had been in the shoes of the family of Sr. Rani?
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:13:18 +0000
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