Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
In a Word, It’s All About Love
At the center of the Lord’s Prayer, we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us the instructions on how to make this happen, and the key word is “love.”
In biblical Greek, there are four words that translate into English as “love”: agapē (unconditional love), eros (romantic love), philia (neighborly love), and storgē (familial love). In Luke 6, agapē is used, as Jesus calls us to a radical love given unconditionally.
This is a world where we are called to:
- Love your enemies
- Do good to those who hate you
- Bless those who curse you
- Pray for those who abuse you
- Turn the other cheek
- Give away your coat AND your shirt
- Give to those who beg
- Do to others as you would have them do to you
- Be nonjudgmental
- Cease from condemnation
- Forgive, and you will be forgiven
- Give, and it will be given to you
Jesus is not calling on us to suffer from an abuser, nor is he asking us to give to someone taking advantage of us. Jesus is calling us to move the world closer to God’s will: a world without enemies, where we bless rather than curse, and pray for others rather than condemn. This alone would radically transform the world.
Jesus is calling us to radically love others and redraw the lines of who we feel is in and who we think is out. Our calling and mission is to bring the heavenly world to our world as we love, pray for, include, and are gracious to all of God’s children.
In a word, it is all about agapē-Love!
Chris Giesler, bishop and retired pastor
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
