Homily 2.23.2025 / 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading from the First Book of Samuel (26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23): In those days, Saul went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand Israelite soldiers to search for David. David and Abishai went to the camp at night. Saul was lying there, asleep inside the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hands. I will pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t need to repeat the strike." But David replied, "Don’t kill him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?" David took the spear and the water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up, for they were all asleep because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep. David crossed to the other side and stood on the top of the hill, far away, with a great distance between them, and called out, "Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it. The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord put you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed." Word of the Lord Psalm Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13 R/. The Lord is compassionate and merciful Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all my being bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. R/. He forgives all your sins and heals all your ills; He redeems your life from destruction and crowns you with kindness and compassion. R/. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, rich in kindness. He does not treat us as our sins deserve nor repay us according to our faults. R/. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. R/. Second Reading Reading from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (15:45-49): The first man, Adam, became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. Word of the Lord Gospel Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke (6:27-38): At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, "To you who hear, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other also; if someone takes your cloak, do not withhold your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Word of the Lord