Do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back

11 SEPTEMBER (Lk 6,27-38)

The disciple of Jesus must present himself to the world with a new truth, which in turn produces and generates a new morality. If morality is old, the truth that animates him inside is also old. The faith that is in his heart is also old. Everything is from the truth. Jesus lives of eternal and divine truth. Every day he walks toward the whole truth led and taken by the hand by the Holy Spirit. His morality is very high, pure; more and more high and pure. Even his disciples are called to live an increasingly higher, purer and more perfect morality.

What is the truth of Lord Jesus? He is the gift of the Father for the salvation, redemption and justification of man. He is the perfect sacrifice to be offered to the Father for the whole world. If this is his truth, his morality must not be but a pure, true, holy love, of most pure sacrifice to every man. All must be included in his sacrifice, in his death and in his resurrection. Everyone must be able to enjoy the benefits of his saving work. He comes and offers his life for the ungodly, sinners and enemies of his Father. He cannot but love his enemies. He must offer himself for them as a burnt offering of redemption on the cross. He cannot but pray for his persecutors. He must ask the Father for them the gift of forgiveness and justification. He cannot hate anyone, because he must suffer for the sin of all. One only person excluded from his love and he would no longer be man’s Redeemer and the Saviour of the world. He would be a partial, but not a total Saviour.

The same truth is of every disciple of Jesus. Who is every disciple? He is in Christ, with Christ, through Christ, the saviour of his brothers and the redeemer of man. One redeems for love. He saves for sacrifice. He offers his life to God as a true sacrifice of atonement and forgiveness. Jesus is also the true sacrifice of communion. He offers his body to the Father so that it is given as food to every other man. Even his disciple has to offer his body to God as a sacrifice of communion. So that the other is nourished with him. Now if the other person has to feed on me, it is obvious that I must make a sacrifice of communion of any other property I own and I must make it available to those who are in need.

“But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit (is) that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as (also) your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

If the disciple of Jesus loses his truth, he certainly will make of the goods of this world just a selfish use, in the service of his vices, comfort and wastefulness. On the contrary, if he enters into this truth of Christ and grows more every day in it, he will always make of his goods a perfect sacrifice of communion. He will transform himself into a true man of mercy, charity, piety, compassion and total gift of his life. He will make of his body a sacrifice of atonement for the redemption of his brothers. This truth must always be written in the heart and mind, constantly renewed, always purified and always carried to its highest splendour. Who enters and lives of this truth, changes and renews the world.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us grow in truth.