1st Book of Samuel 26:2.7-9.12-13.22-23, 1st cor15:45-49, Luke 6:27-38
The readings of the 7th Sunday in ordinary time invite us to reflect on the immense power of love and mercy in our lives as Christians. Today’s first reading is a larger narrative of David’s rise and soul’s decline as king of Israel. This specific chapter recounts a second episode where David spares Saul’s life; historically it is set in the late 11th century BCE, during the early monarchy of Israel. At this time Israel was a loose confederation of tribes transitioning in to a centralized monarchy under Soul. Political instability marked Saul’s reign, especially due to his conflicts with Philistines and his personal rivalry with David. David, anointed by Samuel as Saul’s successor, was seen as a threat by Saul, leading to multiple attempts on David’s life.
The location of this event, the wilderness of Ziph, was a desert region south of Judah, near Hebron. It was a natural refuge for fugitives like David, providing strategic hiding places in caves and hills. The Ziphites, who were loyal to Saul, betrayed David’s location multiple times (1 Samuel 23: 19-20, 26:1). This account mirrors, where David also had a golden chance to do away with Saul, when in the company of one of his commandants, he sneaked into Saul’s camp while Saul and his soldiers were soundly asleep. Abishai, his commandant pleaded with David to let him spear Saul to death, to be sure, were Saul to have had a similar opportunity, he would not have spared David. Yet, David forbad his commandant to touch the king. David refused to have Saul killed because Saul had once been “anointed” king of Israel by Yahweh. In the mentality of the people of the Old Testament regarding forgiveness, David’s nobility in sparing Saul proved truly extraordinary. No one would have missed the chance of doing away with his enemy. And yet Jesus in today’s gospel commands us to go further, we must not only refrain from doing harm to our enemies but positively do good to them, today’s first reading serves as perfect background for the gospel passage.
Today’s gospel passage is part of the sermon on the plain, a parallel to Mathew’s sermon on the mount (Mathew 5-7). While Mathew focusses on the spiritual aspect of the Kingdom, Luke emphasizes the practical implication of discipleship – how followers of Christ should live in the world. In Jesus time society operated on a system of reciprocity and revenge, people repaid kindness with kindness and injury with injury. Jesus however, introduces a radical ethic of love and mercy, breaking the cycle of retaliation and calling His disciples to imitate God’s own mercy. Jesus begins with a radical command, not only to love one’s neighbor but to love even one’s enemies. The Jewish law did command to love one’s own neighbor even those beyond the circle of family, and friends, but this love was limited to the members of the people of Israel. One was not bound to love outsiders, and in the case of people who had caused harm to Israel, Jews were positively encouraged to hate them and to take all possible revenge on them.
But this new command, “love your enemies” Jesus was erasing all frontiers; we are bound to love everyone, even those who cause us harm. This echoes God’s own mercy, as seen in Romans 5:8, where Christ died for sinners while they were still enemies of God. The law of Mosses established that in case of offences received, the revenge should not exceed the offence: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth (ex 21:24). Jesus presents a contrast to human instinct, which demands retaliation. Turning the other cheek, this does not passively allow abuse but rather refusing vengeance. In Jewish culture, a slap on the cheek was an insult rather than a physical attack. Responding with nonviolence and dignity exposes injustice.
Turning the other cheek reflects God’s patience and mercy towards sinners. Just as Jesus bore insult and sufferings without retaliation, so too must his followers, respond with dignity and nonviolence, exposing injustice rather than perpetuating it. Giving freely reflects God’s generosity, who gives even to the ungrateful and wicked. Disciples must mirror this same self-giving love, prioritizing generosity over self-interest. Being sons of the ‘Most high’ means imitating God’s character. Since God’s mercy extends to all including his enemies, our love should likewise have no limits. When Jesus invites us to love everyone, to do good to all without expecting reward from them, he does not say that our love will go without reward, but He speaks of a reward which is not human, one that will be given to us in full measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over.
Thank you