Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
Once again, Jesus continues with hard teaching. He says to be good to those who mistreat you and to love ungrateful and evil men! We have to remember, so once were we. In our flesh, we are born enemies to God and separated from Him. But when Jesus gets hold of the soul, crazy things happen. One then realizes that whatever we do to the least of these my brothers, we have done unto Jesus! Can you see why the Cross was so hard to bear? It was as much of an emotional-spiritual draining as a torment of the flesh. Jesus died for sinful people and He died for you.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your love is different than worldly love. In our world, when we give love, we expect it in return. In the
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