Daily Mass Gospel Reading - Frenemies

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 9-9-2021 | Aux. Bishop R. Barron

[MurphsLaw]

MEMORIAL OF SAINT PETER CLAVER

LUKE 6:27–38

Friends, our Gospel today is taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke. It is one of the more puzzling texts in the New Testament. It speaks of loving our enemies. Not tolerating them or vaguely accepting them, but loving them. When you hate your enemy, you confirm him as your enemy. But when you love him in response to his hatred, you confuse and confound him, taking away the very energy that feeds his hatred.

There is a form of oriental martial arts called aikido. The idea of aikido is to absorb the aggressive energy of your opponent, moving with it, continually frustrating him until he comes to the point of realizing that fighting is useless.

Some have pointed out that there is a great deal of this in Jesus’ strategy of nonviolence and love of the enemy. You creatively absorb the aggression of your opponent, really using it against him, to show him the futility of violence. So when someone insults you, send back a compliment instead of an insult. When someone conspires against you, work to help him.

[MurphsLaw]

+++Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and
overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”+++

[ebb tide]

“Frenemies” in neither the title, nor was the word ever used in Barron’s “reflection”.

Why did you edit the title, Murph?