Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

It takes a great amount of humility and love in order to resist the temptation to repay evil with evil. Our first instincts are to fight those who persecute or hurt us (or perhaps to flee from them). However, this is not the way Jesus wants us to respond. Instead, we are called to turn the other cheek. In addition, we are challenged by Christ to hand over whatever we have to those who ask us and to go the extra mile with those who press us into service. This kind of life is not an easy one. Our prideful selves and the Devil will tempt us to rebel against it by asking us: Why should we sacrifice everything for others? What about us and our needs? Why shouldn’t they serve us instead? These questions may enter our thoughts, but let us never let them enter our hearts. They are selfish questions that lead us away from knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. Instead, we should humbly accept our calling to be givers, no matter the worldly cost, because in the end it is the treasure we store up for ourselves in heaven that matters most.

Do we turn the other cheek when people commit evils against us? Are we willing to give up our wants and needs for others? Will we go the extra mile, even for those who mistreat or exploit us?

O Lord, let us never turn our backs on those in need and never raise a hand against those who harm us.

Amen.

First Friday of Ordinary Time

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”

When the men carrying the paralytic saw the crowd around Jesus, they could have been disheartened, but instead they go the extra mile in order to see the paralytic cured. They open up the roof and lower the paralytic down to Jesus, who takes pity on the man, forgives his sins, and eventually heals him as proof of his divine authority. Sometimes when we try to help others (and even ourselves) we come across impediments that discourage us from continuing. We can become tempted to give up because we don’t have the strength, resources, or know-how to overcome the obstacles in our way. However, God never gives us a trial or tribulation that we cannot overcome. He always gives us the graces necessary to do His Will, although not always how we imagined it. These tests of our faith require us to go beyond our comfort zones and to do something extraordinary. Climbing onto the roof to let the paralytic down to Jesus was a risk that those four men were willing to take to see the paralytic cured. In the same way, we must be willing to risk ourselves to do what is right and to help those in need, whether that need be physical or spiritual.

Do we go the extra mile when we try to help others? Do we trust that God will give us the graces we need to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of doing good works? What are we willing to risk in order to do God’s Will?

O Lord, give us the graces to help those in most need of your mercy.

Amen.