What's your grade? Mine is "F".

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By Marie Tan-Hancock 

Today's Holy Gospel according to St. 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 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."

*****

We are not just human beings, but to many of us we are Christians. We can relate with each other through our experiences: the joys, the hurts and the pains we feel in our earthly journey. To some of us, we choose to be generous, to be charitable, to be of help and to be kind for those who are in need. It's because of the love of God that we know  "that in giving, we receive, and in pardoning we are pardoned" (the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi).

His message "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (vv. 27-38)" is not for everybody but only to those who listen.

Maybe to some of us, our faith has been tested so many times. We have been hurt so many times because we've loved and trusted so many times. Even though we have learned our lessons in the past but the love of God still reigns in our hearts.

As I read the Holy Gospel each line- My grade is all "F," I Failed! 

What's yours?

But wait! We all aren't perfect. Jesus gives everyone a chance to transform us from this kind of person to that kind of person that He wants us to be because of His greater love for us. Don't make it difficult for God to change our hearts when we hear His voice. Let's not give ourselves a hard time too. Let's not give other people a hard time as well. God knows every heart ❤️.  "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts" is found in Psalm 95:7-8."

May God bless all our hearts!




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