Today's Gospel with comment: February 23, 2020

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew 5,38-48.
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: «You have understood that it was said:" Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth ";
but I tell you not to oppose the wicked one; indeed, if one strikes your right cheek, you also offer the other;
and to those who want to sue you to take off your tunic, you also leave your cloak.
And if one forces you to go for a mile, you go with him two.
Do not turn your back on those who ask you and those who want a loan from you ».
You understood that it was said: "You will love your neighbor and you will hate your enemy";
but I say to you: love your enemies and pray for your persecutors,
so that you may be children of your heavenly Father, who makes his sun rise above the wicked and the good, and makes it rain on the righteous and the unjust.
In fact, if you love those who love you, what merit do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do this?
And if you only greet your brothers, what do you do extraordinary? Do not even the pagans do this?
Be perfect therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. »
Liturgical translation of the Bible

San Massimo the Confessor (ca 580-662)
monk and theologian

Centuria I on love, n. 17, 18, 23-26, 61
The art of loving like God
Blessed is the man who can love everyone in the same way. Blessed is the man who sticks to nothing that is corruptible and passing. (...)

Whoever loves God also fully loves his neighbor. Such a man cannot hold back what he has, but he gives it as God, he gives everyone what he needs. Those who give alms in imitation of God ignore the difference between the good and the bad, the just and the unjust (see Mt 5,45:XNUMX), if they see them suffer. He gives everyone the same way, according to their need, even if he prefers the virtuous man to the corrupt man for good will. Like God, who by nature is good and makes no difference, equally loves all beings as his work, but glorifies the virtuous man because he is united by knowledge and in his goodness he has mercy on the corrupt man and with the teaching it makes him come back, so who is naturally good and makes no difference loves everyone equally. He loves virtuous man for his nature and goodwill. And he loves the corrupt man by his nature and compassion, because he has pity on him as a madman who heads towards darkness.

The art of loving is revealed not only in sharing what you have, but much more in transmitting the word and serving others in their needs. (...) "But I say to you: love your enemies and pray for your persecutors" (Mt 5,44).