RENUNGAN MINGGUAN – 20 Februari 2022
The Readings Reflection for 7th Sunday Ordinary Time (20th Feb 2022)
1st Reading: 1 Samuel 26:2,7-9,11-13,22-23
2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:45-49
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:27-38
The 1st Reading tells us how David who was given the opportunity to kill King Saul who had hunted for David’s life. David decided not to take revenge to kill Saul. Instead, David acknowledged that God had first anointed Saul as King although subsequently God rejected Saul. The attitude of David for fearing God is a sense of self-control, self-restrained and humility even in a position when he is in power. He did not repay evil actions towards him with evil deeds.
In the 2nd Reading, St. Paul’s message to the Corinthians described Jesus as the new Adam. The first Adam was of earth, while Jesus is from heaven. Jesus being the new Adam redeemed all the failure of the first Adam, by being life-giving spirit instead having the soul. It was through Jesus redemption was brought upon for all of us. Even if we are of the earthly origin, because we belong to Christ, we are made to follow the footsteps of Jesus and that’s towards heaven. Our very nature as human being may subject us with all the world’s lures and temptations, but with Christ as our model, we can now follow and imitate Him as He is the new Adam who will lead us to the path of the kingdom of heaven and eternal life.
The Gospel reading of Luke can be summed up as the commandment: to love our neighbours as to love ourselves. God’s love is everlasting. Jesus demonstrated His love when he died upon the cross not just for the righteous people but for all, good or bad alike. It is by having unconditional love that can transform us to treat others well and equally without expecting anything in return for our good deeds. There will be struggle in the beginning for many of us to understand this hard teaching of Jesus because some of us were brought up to repay kindness only to those who showed us kindness. In the same way we were taught there’s no point of showing kindness to those who are rude to others. Should they not deserve the same treatment they gave to others?
Being Christians, we are called to be distinct from others. Sometimes our morality should go beyond the norms of society. Didn’t Jesus forgive those who have hurt Him, ridiculed Him and let him be crucified upon the cross? It was difficult to comprehend His actions at first but slowly the disciples just as we, learn to understand and appreciate His actions. There is always a sacrifice to be made in being the followers of Christ. We learn to be obedient and listen to God’s words which taught us to adhere to God’s commandments. The Holy Spirit will grant us the gift of Fear of the Lord and Understanding which would enable us to be transformed of our minds and remove all past beliefs that could prevent us from loving one another unconditionally. Let’s pray to become more and more like Jesus everyday both in our minds and actions. Amen.
Bro Fredie R
