Reflection for June 16 Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 5:43-48

Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.   

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

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Reflection:

What is the supreme act of love? 

It is the willingness to lay down our lives for those we love. But what is the next supreme act of love? It is loving even those who seem unlovable in our eyes. It is keeping the flame of love burning in our hearts for someone who does nothing but hurt us. It is choosing to love when our human instincts tell us to give up, walk away, or seek revenge.

Yet, are we truly capable of following this radical commandment of love from Jesus? If we are honest with ourselves, we know how difficult it is to love those who reject us, misunderstand us, or cause us pain. Take, for example, a spouse who continually hurts us. How can we continue to love such a person? How can we keep praying when our hearts are wounded and weary?

If we focus only on this world and its realities, such love seems impossible. Our human nature often tells us to return hurt for hurt and rejection for rejection. But Jesus calls us to something higher. He invites us to see beyond our present suffering and to view others through His eyes of mercy, compassion, and hope.

We were not created for this world alone. God created us for a greater purpose and an eternal destiny with Him in heaven. As followers of Christ, we are called to love not only those who love us but also those who do not. We are called to pray not only for those who bless us but also for those who hurt us. This kind of love is not merely human—it is divine. It is the love that flows from the heart of Jesus Himself.

What happens when we continue to love our spouse even when love is not returned? What happens when we persevere in prayer for someone’s conversion despite disappointment and discouragement? We may not see immediate results, but God is always at work. In His perfect time, hearts can change, wounds can be healed, and lives can be transformed. The person for whom we pray may eventually come to see the light of Christ and be renewed by His grace.

This is one of the beautiful miracles that Jesus performs in the lives of those who continue to trust in Him. He strengthens those who refuse to give up on love. He sustains those who remain faithful in prayer. He blesses those who choose forgiveness over resentment, hope over despair, and love over hatred.

When we persevere in loving and praying, we become instruments of God's grace. Our steadfast love and faithful prayers may become the very means through which another soul encounters the healing presence of Christ.

May we never underestimate the power of love rooted in God and prayer offered with faith. For what seems impossible to us is always possible with Him.

Is there someone in our lives whom we have stopped loving, stopped praying for, or quietly given up on? Can we ask Jesus for the grace to love that person once again, trusting that His power can accomplish what our hearts alone cannot?– Marino J. Dasmarinas