Daily Gospel Reflection for June 18, 2024

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

My children and I love the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie. Willy Wonka has no shortage of iconic lines, and possibly my personal favorite is, “Wait. Strike that. Reverse it.” I think about that quote often when I read the words of Jesus, especially this Gospel from Matthew, taken from the famous Sermon on the Mount.

This command from Jesus to love our enemies is contrary to our natural instincts. It’s a reversal of what the rest of the world does. In our cancel culture, any slip up can be grounds for writing someone out of our lives permanently, allowing that anger and resentment to fester indefinitely.

Jesus calls us to live a radically different life. This means forgiveness even if the other person doesn’t deserve it, and even if the other person doesn’t ask for it. This means love even when it hurts. This call is no easy feat. We can’t do it alone, and so long as we rely solely on our own merits and instincts, we will be stuck in the wrong way of thinking. Allowing Jesus to give us the grace to forgive and love those who don’t deserve our love is the only way to achieve this seemingly Willy Wonka style of living.

Ponder:

Where in my life am I holding on to anger or resentment?

Pray:

Lord God, I want to live this radical life by loving even those who hurt me. Give me the grace to forgive the unforgivable and love the unlovable.

Copyright 2024 Maria Riley