1^st R.    David spares Saul because Saul is the Anointed One/King of the Lord.

2nd R. St Paul contrasts the first Adam (whose ‘soul’ accounts for natural life) with Christ, whose ‘spirit’ gives supernatural life to his followers.

The Gospel passage continues the missionary preaching of Jesus in Galilee. Jesus teaches the need to love, even, our enemies. To those who ill-treat us, we are to show forgiveness and kindness. Jesus’ own example displays this during his ministry: Zacchaeus; the tax collector; the woman taken in adultery; Peter and the other Apostles; those who nailed him to the cross….

And the lesson is repeated in his teaching: Prodigal Son, Unjust Steward, ….

Jesus gives our Heavenly Father as the prime example of compassion, in the way God has such love and patience with the whole of mankind – did not spare his own Son, in order to save us.

By showing compassion to all, we give due praise and worship to God. We show our trust in God and carry out his will, perhaps in the face of our own feelings and inclinations. “God’s saving justice is never served by human anger.” James 1,21

Motive is important. David spared Saul, because he respected God’s supreme authority, praiseworthy for sure and still of importance for us today.

But, compassion has a further motivation. If we are to be perfect, even as our Heavenly Father is perfect, we must be moved by the Spirit of God transforming us so that we are moved to recognise in everyone the image of Christ. True that image may be barely discernible at a given moment, but Christ’s spirit is at work in everyone and we are God’s agents helping to form one another, by our love for one another. This is how the world will be transformed. (Time is not a factor we should concern ourselves with; ‘for with the Lord, a thousand years are but a day’ 2 Peter 3,8)

Our concern must be ‘to die to self so that not I live, but Christ lives in me’ Then we shall be able to give generously: ‘the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back’.

For more on how to achieve ‘dying to self’ I recommend The Twelve Degrees of Silence - a method, devised by the French Carmelite Mystic, Sister Marie-Aimee de Jesus, OCD. Internet access is available and there are books of commentary published. Edith Stein (St Theresa Benedicta of the Cross) dedicated one of her essays to describing the life and spirit of Sister Marie-Aimee.

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Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 210-211: God of mercy
CCC 1825, 1935, 1968, 2303, 2647, 2842-2845: forgiveness of enemies
CCC 359, 504: Christ as the New Adam

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“I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, prayer for those who abuse you.” One of the characteristic qualities of being Christian is forgiving others and being merciful. “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” None of us are perfect, and time and again, we are invited to be merciful and forgiving to one another. We find this thread throughout the celebration of the liturgy. During the penitential rite, the whole liturgical assembly acknowledges the times they have failed to love God and our neighbour. We ask for God’s mercy in the Kyrie eleison. After the great Eucharistic Prayer and the Lord’s prayer, the Church prayers for unity and peace for herself and for the whole world, and we express our peace, communion, and charity in the ‘Sign of Peace’ before communicating in the Body and Blood of Christ. In the Roman Missal we have two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation. They may be used in celebrations where the mystery of reconciliation is highlighted. These Eucharistic Prayers teach us that through the celebration of the Eucharist we are to go out into the world and live the Gospel, to be especially reconcilers and peacemakers in a world where much division and conflict exist. Although the mysteries of baptism and confession have an important role in reconciliation, the eucharistic action is a foundational celebration for the faithful to accept the broken body and cup that has been poured out for the forgiveness of sins. The celebration of the liturgy allows us to go forth into the world with peace, to bring forgiveness, mercy, reconciliation and peace to the world.

Bidding Prayers

For the Church, in her ministry of forgiveness –

may she always bind up hearts that are broken, forgive sinners and restore them to grace, and always keep before our eyes the image of Christ, who died to save us all.

For those who find it hard to forgive –

may they have as their model Christ, who died for us, and, on the Cross, forgave those who crucified him.

For compassion towards young people –

may all parents, teachers and those in charge of the young be always sympathetic to them in their search of meaning. 

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Note: These hymns have been chosen from different sources.

A new commandment (CFE4, L920, LHON133)

God forgave my sin in Jesus' name (CFE209, L849, LHON286)

Love is his word, love is his way (CFE399, L803, LHON462)

Whatsoever you do (CFE799, L926, LHON726) 

Key

CFE - Celebration Hymnal for Everyone

L – Laudate

LHON – Liturgical Hymns Old and New (Mayhew, 1999)

TCH – The Catholic Hymnbook (Gracewing)