Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: February 23, 2025

Date: 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text: Luke 6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples:

“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 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.”

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel text for today is drawn from Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain as recounted in the Gospel of Luke. Today’s portion calls upon us to love one another as the Heavenly Father loves us – mercifully and without expectations of returns – and to stop judging one another.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How well do I live Christ’s teaching on loving others? Do I calculate my return before I give to others? Am I judgmental of others? Do I truly treat all others as I want to be treated?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son, Most Holy Spirit, we come to You this day with praise for all You are and thanksgiving for all You have given to us beginning with our very existence. Stir within us, fill us with your transformative love so that we may live that love with one another. Help us to grasp the law of love which You have poured into our hearts and grant that we may live from that law rather than selfish interests. Grant that we may be merciful with one another as You are merciful with us. May we live our lives in ways that bring You glory and bring us ever closer to You. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.