Luke 6:27-38
Lead in: Jesus tells us to “love our enemies” and to “do good to those who hate you”. But that does not mean Jesus is calling us to be doormats, walked on by those who might want to take advantage of us.
Prompt: Reflect on a time when you showed mercy, yet without allowing others to take advantage of your good will.
Prompt: Reflect on a time when you lashed out instead of turning the other cheek.
Lead in: Jesus calls us to “do to others as you would have them do to you”. But what if the “other” is not deserving of our love?
Prompt: Who is it in your life that you feel is not deserving of your love? Speak to God about the hurt they caused you and ask for the healing you need to get beyond that hurt.
Lead in: Think of the golden rule, treat others as you would want them to treat you. Easier said than done when someone has done you wrong.
Prompt: As you reflect on the person who has done you wrong, who comes to mind for you? If you were to do something that would ease the hard feelings that keep you at a distance, what might that be?
Lead in: Many in our world seek justice through retribution and vengeance. The way they see it is if one strikes you, strike back before they do you more harm.
Prompt: What does it take to break the endless cycle of violence in our world? What might you do to help make that happen?
Lead in: In I Samuel 26, Saul wants to kill David. David could have sought vengeance on Saul but refused to do so. In the same way, the nonviolence of the Gospel challenges us to pursue justice without resorting to violence.
Prompt: Where in your life is it hardest to resist vengeance as a solution to the mistreatments you have endured in your life?
Lead in: The enemy is not just the one who hates you. Your enemy can simply be the one who’s hard to love, like the one who rubs you the wrong way, or whose views cause you to label them as “one of them”, or who lives a lifestyle you disapprove of or don’t understand. These are the more “subtle enemies” we may not even think of as enemies.
Prompt: Who are the subtle enemies in your life that you are called to forgive? How is the
compassion of Jesus challenging you to change your attitude toward them?
