"To you who listen, I say: you love your enemies ..." (Luke 6: 27-38)
Biblical reflections by Mauro Leonardi*, priest and writer
Love is not an exchange commodity, just as the cloak and the body of Christ are not: they are not a deal or a gambling, but a free self -donation.
From the Gospel according to Luca 6: 27-38
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
«To you who listen, I say: you love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who cursed you, pray for those who treat you badly. To those who strike you on the cheek, offer the other; To those who tear your cloak, do not reject even the tunic. Gives anyone who asks you, and who takes your things, do not ask them back.
And how do you want men to do to you, so you do them too. If you love those who love you, what gratitude is due to you? Sinters also love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what gratitude is it due to you? Sinters also do the same. And if you give to those from who hoped to receive, what gratitude is there due? Sinters also grant loans to sinners to receive the same. Instead, love your enemies, do good and lend without hoping for anything, and your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, because he is benevolent towards the ungrateful and wicked.
Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.
Do not judge and you will not be judged; Do not condemn and you will not be sentenced; Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give yourself and will be given to you: a good, pressing, full and overflowing measure will be paid to you in the womb, because with the measurement with which you measure, it will be measured to you in return ".
* Mauro Leonardi (Como 1959) has been a priest since 29 May 1988 and has lived in Rome since then. He spends many hours of his day as a priest and prefers building bridges rather than raising walls. For years he has been writing stories, articles, essays and books that revolve around the relationship between man and God. Author of the blogLike Jesus. Abelis(Lindau) is his latest novel. The volunteers ofJonathan ProjectThey thank him for wanting to share these reflections on the Word with us.
