(Lev 19:1-2, 17-18 1 Cor 3:16-23 Mat 5:38-48)
Sino ang binigyan mo ng regalo noong nakaraang Valentines Day?
Lahat naman siguro kayo nagbigay ng bulaklak sa inyong "inday". Siguro nagbigay kayo ng cake sa inyong mga magulang. Maybe you gave a simple card to your beloved friends. Siguro nagbigay ka ng rosas, rosas na may bubuyog! Siguro nagbigay ka ng pagkain, pagkaing panis na! Siguro nagbigay ka ng ice cream, ice cream na tunaw at puwede ng gawing juice! Have you given anything to your enemy? It’s true… mahirap mahalin ang kaaway (it’s hard to love the enemy).
Jesus’ message on this 7th Sunday is about Love of God/neighbor/forgiveness/loving one’s enemy. But loving an enemy is not easy. How can you forgive an unfaithful partner? Someone who is gossiping about you but smiles in front of your face? or has caused a serious injury to a family member? mahirap mahalin ang kaaway. Mahirap magpakita ng pagmamahal sa taong nagbibigay sa iyo ng sama ng loob! (It's hard to show love to someone who gives you a hard time!) sabi ni Jesus through todays readings…
sino ang pinagmulan ng pag-ibig? Who is the origin of love? First reading says it is God. Magpakabanal kayo, sapagkat akong panginoon ay banal. Diyos ay pagibig. Yet love proposed in the OT was different. “Mata sa mata at ngipin sa ngipin” was the Old testament formula, cannot be used today. Ang sabi ng namayapang si Mahatma Gandhi: “Kung paiiralin natin ang batas na mata sa mata at ngipin sa ngipin, darating ang araw na ang ating mundo ay punong-puno ng mga bulag at bungi!” Totoo nga naman. (if we do like OT, the day will come when our world will be full of blind and deaf!" It's true. Hindi kapayapaan ang iiral kundi paghihiganti! There will be no peace but vengeance!)
That's why Jesus is universalizing the love of OT, when he said, “ibigin Ninyo ang inyong mga kaaway, at idalangin Ninyo ang mga umuusig saiyo” Maari bang ibigin ang kaaway? Mahirap ngunit posible! Is it possible to love the enemy? Difficult but possible! It is possible because true love is not a feeling. A book I read said: “Loving is willing not feeling!” You love to love! You love someone not because you "feel" that you love him/he loves you.
Why do we need to forgive? 1. Because we are Christians, Forgiving our enemy is a command of the Lord and a CONDITION of our own forgiveness. “If you don’t forgive your enemy, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you.” The nature of our God is love.
2. To be happy we need to forgive. Hatred is a destructive emotion. It poisons our moments of peace and contentment, it causes stress, and affects the nervous system, sleep patterns, heart and circulatory system. There is a group called “No love, no stress”. When you forgive there is no stres
3. The nature of our God is love: Jesus gave a perfect example, that is God the father, “sapagkat pinasisikat niya ang araw sa masasama at sa mabubuti, at pinapapatak niya ang ulan sa mga banal at sa mga makasalanan.” Subukan mong magmahal katulad ng pagmamahal sa iyo ng Diyos. Magmahal ka hindi lamang sa mga taong mahal mo ngunit maging sa mga kaaway mo.
Sometimes we need to educate our hearts. Many of us are brokenhearted because our love is only at the feeling level. Try to love as God loves you, be generous, do not be possessive, do not be rigid in love. Love not only the people you love but also your enemies.
St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, reminds us that, “The way to love has a name: it is sacrifice.” Love is above all, the gift of oneself. That’s what Jesus did: Jesus loved each one of us so much that he sacrificed His life for us. When we think of the great sacrifice that God Himself made for us, can we not make small sacrifices throughout our day for Him? Some people used to say: “Father, I’ve forgiven her already, but I don’t want to see her face!” I have forgiven but I cannot love like the old times, Is there someone you cannot forgive? Or you’re not in talking terms with for months and years?
1. The first is to avoid revenge. Don’t think of retaliation. Be patient! Give time! We should never let ill feelings reside in our hearts. But we should open our hearts to understanding and forgiveness. Our hearts should never be closed to them – available for listening. Jesus is teaching us to avoid biases and prejudices. He urges to get rid of the “likes and dislikes” attitude.
2. The second is to pray for them. “idalangin Ninyo ang inyong mga umuusig sa inyo”. What Jesus wants here is to wish them good. Bless them. It is to see goodness in them. We should still think of their well-being. People believe in black spirits and superstitions, they wish them to curse them. We should still believe in their goodness. Best way to love is to remember them in the Eucharist. The second reading tells, “tayo na tayoy bumubuo ng isa lamang katawan at ang ating mga pamayanan ay mga templo ng Diyos. The division is like breaking God’s temple. Like the body of Christ is one, parts many.
3. Performing small acts of kindness: I love you means nothing without action. Anyone can say these words, but the only one who cares about you, will show it. Jesus says: “Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow (vv. 41-42). Love is to do good things at all times and for everyone. Love is to give the best and to the maximum.
Choose to be brave: Ang kabaliktaran ng LOVE ay hindi HATE kundi… FEAR! Totoo ito, takot lang tayong magmahal kung kaya’t poot at pag-aalinlangan ang namamayani sa ating mga puso. Brave ones will fight fear. There is a saying, “do not be afraid to love again. Everyone isyou’re your ex”. Someone will say, “I will never fall in love, I experienced great failures” Huwag tayong matakot na mahalin ang ating sarili. Huwag tayong matakot na mahalin ang ating kapwa. HUwag tayong matakot na mahalin ang Diyos. Tandaan natin na tayong ay kanyang “inamorata” (beloved). Minamahal Niya tayong lahat. (The opposite of LOVE is not HATE but… FEAR! It's true, we are only afraid to love that's why hatred and doubt prevail in our hearts. Let's not be afraid to love ourselves. Let's not be afraid to love our neighbor. Let's not be afraid to love God. Let's remember that we are his "inamorata". loves all.)
• Is there someone you cannot forgive?
• Or one you’re not on talking terms with for months and years?
Pope John Paul II forgave the assassin Mehmet Ali who was arrested for shooting the pontiff in St. Peter's Square. The pope publicly forgave his assailant. Many other saints nearby your homes are examples of forgiveness.
All you need is love. Love is all we need.
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