Loving those who don't deserve
Tuesday, 11th week in Ordinary Time
1 Kgs 21: 17-29; Mt 5: 43-48
We all have a list of people who do not deserve our kindliness, our compassion, our understanding or our love. We come to that conclusion after a series of experiences with them and ordinarily speaking that conclusion would seem to everyone as just and understandable. The Lord says, convert that list into your priority list, start loving those in that list - start loving those who do not deserve to be loved according to your judgment. Are you crying: Oh that is not possible? The Lord says, then you are no different from those who are far away from the Lord. If you are to be known as children of God, start loving those so-called undeserving persons, with genuine love in your heart!
You have examples: look at the first reading today. The Lord loves Ahab...however cruel and ruthless he had been...the Lord forgives and loves. He might have been undeserving but the Lord loves! Why go so far: each of us, let us consider our own life - are we really deserving to receive all the love that God showers on us?