Paul Robson SJ
This Sunday’s Gospel reading strikes me as being a tough one. Tough to follow, to live out. Also perhaps tough to understand.
Jesus is quoted as saying: “If anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again”; and “from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt”; and “lend, expecting nothing in return”. Are we supposed to take these expressions literally? If someone owes us money, or if someone steals from us, are we supposed to forget about it and let it go, or give them even more? Wouldn’t fairness and justice require that the money be paid back, or the goods returned?
I would suggest that the main point, the important teaching here, is the one at the beginning, where Jesus says: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” I think we’re supposed to take these phrases literally, and so actually to love and pray for our enemies (or those who might want to be our enemies).
If we go back to the instruction about giving even your shirt to the one who takes your coat, I would see that as an example of how someone might “love their enemy”. The example suggests that we could surprise someone with kindness, surprise them with goodness, when they might be expecting “an eye for an eye”.
Also, if we have love in our lives, by God’s grace, then we’ll know what to do. “Love, and do what you will”, as St. Augustine said. Love, have love, and then decide whether to do this or that – and maybe love requires one thing in a certain situation, and something else at another time. Maybe the loving thing to do, at one time, is to “lend, expecting nothing in return”. On the other hand, at another time, the just and fair and loving thing might be to expect, or even to demand, that someone pays back what they owe!
One of my favourite verses of Scripture is this one: “Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing . . .” (Mark 10:21). May we look at others, think of others, with love. Or at least try to love them, pray to be able to love them. May we want what’s best for them and do whatever is the loving thing to do. Amen.