March 12, Saturday,1st First Week of Lent
Deuteronomy 26:16-19, Matthew 5:43-48
Freedom in the Philippines was hard-gained - fighting for our right to live our own lives. Those were the days when many men and women died for freedom. But God wants us to have space built in goodness. He has chosen to be near us and has made His people His God. That's why we're called to respond to God's immense love by following his rules and listening to his voice. Choose good!
Like-mindedness is a long-standing human trait. We tend to treat well, people who treat us well. But it seems that personal connections are more polarized than ever, especially on social media. We tend to attack those who are different, detest us, or have injured us. And it's about destroying his dignity as a person. And we tend to be fond of those who are fond of us.
Love for enemies is at the heart of the Gospel because it is a specific trait of Jesus' disciples. We, too, can love our enemies if we allow ourselves to be enveloped by the love of God, infinite goodness, which makes his sun rise on the bad and the good and mercifully loves everyone. Loving those who have wronged us is a great challenge, but it widens the heart and restores peace. In the end, forgiveness is concerned with the overall good of human relationships and interaction, but this is a very delicate matter. We need so much grace from God and our cooperation with this grace. Because when you are deeply hurt within, it is easy to forget to do what is best for others and ourselves.
Can we, as Christians, truly "love those who have injured us"? A new life with Jesus, but isn't it impossible? Many Christians, including Pope John Paul II, have forgiven their enemies, but knowing that forgiveness does not condone or justify evil, the Pope did not halt the wheels of justice. Forgiveness is a process, a moral choice. It is possible to forgive and love an adversary.
Do I need to make amends today?
Lord, may my failure to forgive my adversaries lead to humility and freedom.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
