May the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Amen.
The readings today are truly challenging for us. Like most of you, I’ve been reading about the progress of the war in Ukraine as a consequence of Russia’s invasion, of hostage taking, killing and vengeance in Gaza between Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel, in Sudan as two armies fight over territory, ethnic rights, retribution and greed, in the US now turning right and wrong upside down and, here in Australia, in our own homes, places which are filled with violence, terror, trauma, crimes, and vengeance. The tears of those affected, all the asylum seekers, refugees, displaced people, the homeless and ejected, are truly despairing and cannot be ignored. Our prayers are filled with sorrow, brokenness and despair. We all know people directly affected by these and other conflicts.
And what about our own broken friendships and families filled with betrayal, guilt, shame and rejection alongside love and hope. Things said and done to one another which are seemingly unforgiveable and unreconcilable; sitting always in our hearts and minds, ready to remind us when we think about repentance and forgiveness, ready to give love in the end.
Into this very human behaviour and condition Jesus, the Human One, speaks directly to us. His words are resoundingly clear. Luke’s gospel, 6.27-38 is not a text which we can ignore, gloss over or from which we can retreat. Its not simply a case of trying to persuade ourselves to the ‘right feelings or increasing our sentimentality’ either, so we can feel good, while not taking action.
Jesus asks us to consider the most radical and outrageous of ideas: giving without receiving in return, and not counting the cost, not as a transaction; we are not ‘doing a deal’ as some would have us believe. Nor is this about us feeling good about ourselves as we take a risk in being generous because we have power, control, capacity in the situation, or because we want to look good or feel good about ourselves. And, we are being asked not to bring retribution upon those who have hurt us as a ‘just’ cause. We are called not simply to refrain from seeking a return on our investment but actively to love.
Jesus reminds us and shows us this is not simply about right feelings or words according to the world’s standards, but it is love made visible through our actions, not through self-interest. Disciples who act on the golden rule, ‘do to others as you would have them do to you’ should be careful about not using reciprocal self-interest as this is not special Christian behaviour. People generally do what is in their self-interest.
Jesus asks us for something extra, different, because it is God calling us to this true life.
Some of my reflections about this are hard. Firstly, this invitation is possible to consider because Jesus lived as a human being, in a poor part of the world, in a poor family, in a country brutally occupied by an empire which would not tolerate alternative ways of peace other than its own way, Pax Romana. So, Jesus does know what he’s asking of us.
Secondly, we do this individually but we live in community, we are called as the body of the Christ, to work together at this, practice it and give each other encouragement and hope.
Thirdly, we belong to Christ’s kingdom, we are each God’s beloved child, our first and primary identity. This way of living called by Jesus, reveals our true identity. We should not live with a foot in both camps. Our integrity and faithfulness shine brightly in God’s light.
Bishop Daniel Abot, one of our Diocesan Bishops, has also offered great wisdom and insights as he reflects on his own experience of living this way as he pastored to his flock which grew out of three warring tribes in the brutal killing fields of Sudan and South Sudan, losing friends and family, and surviving refugee camps as a Lost Boy. He said, ‘pray always, for this is God’s will, for God is present in the shattering of lives, the loss of hope, in the pain and destruction and death of loved ones, and in the desire for death for the enemy. He said, work with other Christians to share God’s courage, encouragement and to hear God’s words; listen always to the voice of the victims, the suffering children and those without power to whom terrible things have been said and done, it is they who will find the right way for justice. Know that to love one’s enemy is always a lifetime’s work with God in The Christ, knowing Jesus has shown us the Way.
Fourthly, it’s important to remember, there is no justice in submitting to abusive behaviour, ill treatment, domestic violence, community violence, discrimination, bullying, or coercive control. This sort of submission does not equal obedience to God’s commands. This is not what a loving Christ asks of us. Christ does indeed love us. We are loved as people who need to forgive as much as we have been forgiven, to repent as much as we demand repentance from others. So when we are called to love our neighbour, our family member or our enemy, then we are also called to have a healthy and safe love of self as well as the Christ indeed waits patiently with us for the right time, place, words and actions that bring love and peace in body, mind and spirit.
As we seek to love those who hate and despise us, who hold us in contempt as weak and ridiculous, we know none of us is strong enough to respond with love on our own. This is the discernment of the Holy Spirit. We are gifted with God’s love and mercy. We are asked to share it on as abundantly as God shares it with us. We do not get what we deserve, instead Jesus makes us members of God’s family, so we regift God’s love and mercy to our persecutors. But we are called to do this by God, just as we have been shown so clearly by Jesus, from his own position of powerlessness: standing in a place where we give away our expectations and rights, irrespective of the law and judgements. We are asked to do this in Christ’s transformative love, with glad hearts, trusting in God for healing, wholeness, recovery and restoration, upending and restoring our lives in Christ.
This teaching of Jesus becomes a discussion about our identity as apostles, sent out by Jesus into this world to continue his ministry, to shine Christ’s Light in the world, to give hope to others as God has done so and continues to do so with us. The Lord be with you.
References
Jarvis, C.A., Johnson, E.E. 2014 [Gen. Eds]. Feasting on the Gospels. Luke, Vol.1 Chapters 1-11. Westminster Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
King, N. 2004. The New Testament. Kevin Mayhew Ltd. UK
