First reading 1 Kings 21:17-29
The punishment of Ahab and Jezebel foretold
After the death of Naboth, the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Up! Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, in Samaria. You will find him in Naboth’s vineyard; he has gone down to take possession of it. You are to say this to him, “The Lord says this: You have committed murder; now you usurp as well. For this – and the Lord says this – in the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, the dogs will lick your blood too.”’
Ahab said to Elijah, ‘So you have found me out, O my enemy!’ Elijah answered, ‘I have found you out. For your double dealing, and since you have done what is displeasing to the Lord, I will now bring disaster down on you; I will sweep away your descendants, and wipe out every male belonging to the family of Ahab, fettered or free in Israel. I will treat your House as I treated the House of Jeroboam son of Nebat and of Baasha son of Ahijah, for provoking my anger and leading Israel into sin. (Against Jezebel the Lord spoke these words: The dogs will eat Jezebel in the Field of Jezreel.) Those of Ahab’s family who die in the city, the dogs will eat; and those who die in the open country, the birds of the air will eat.’
And indeed there never was anyone like Ahab for double dealing and for doing what is displeasing to the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the most abominable way, adhering to idols, just as the Amorites used to do whom the Lord had dispossessed for the sons of Israel.
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments and put sackcloth next his skin and fasted; he slept in the sackcloth; he walked with slow steps. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; I will bring the disaster down on his House in the days of his son.’
Responsorial Psalm 50(51):3-6,11,16
R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God;
then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Gospel Matthew 5:43-48
Pray for those who persecute you
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’
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Loving your enemies
“But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”. These are simple words, but they are the hardest to put into practice! Jesus is telling us to love our enemies, i.e. the very people we do not like, the people who look down on us, the people who hurt us with their gossip, the inconsiderate people who make our lives miserable, etc. These people are precisely the ones we are called to love, bless, do good to them and pray for them.
Jesus is not placing an impossible task on us. He directs us to walk this path of love because He knows that loving our enemies will bring us peace, and keeping hatred in our hearts will make us miserable and sad. Thus, it is for our own good that Jesus tells us to love and make peace with others. Hopefully, by our efforts to love them, our enemies might transform their ways towards us. May the love of God fill our hearts so that we can start taking small steps to love.
Reflective question:
What are the practical ways of loving the people I struggle to like?
What are the practical ways of loving the people I struggle to like?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
