Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good; and
he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.

If you love those who love you, what is special about that?If you love those who love you, what is
special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends,
what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? As for you, be perfect, as
your heavenly Father is perfect.

Reflection:

An eye for an eye and caring An eye for an eye and caring for only one’s own people were accepted
principles in the then Near Eastern juris prudence. But,this is a justice that does not heal; it only multiplies
the injury andalienates the other. As MahatmaGandhi observed (as attributedto him), “an eye for an eye
makes the world go blind.” It does not redeem; it does not enhance. It only makes us reactive, lowering us
to the level of the offender, making us mirror images of each other. As Anthony Storr has noted, nothing
resembles an angry cat or a human being so much as another angry cat or human being! What Jesus
offers us is a way out of this cycle of violence: transcend the levels of the offender, widen the circle of
inclusion, raising ourselves unto the image of the Father who sends light and rain to the good and the bad
without discrimination. And,in our mirroring the Father, we may invite the offender to imitateus as well.

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