March 6th

March 6, 2023
Monday of the 2 nd Week of Lent
Raul Garcia: Sophomore
Readings: Dn 9:4b-10/Lk 6:36-38 (230)
Today’s Gospel, the Gospel of Luke Chapter 6 verses 36 through 38, explains a rule of
thumb for not only Christians, but the entire world. This is a famous rule, commonly referred to
as the Golden Rule. This rule is basically saying, do unto others which you wish to be done unto
you. In simpler terms, it means, what you want others to do for you, do that for others. For
example, if you wish for others to treat you kindly, treat others kindly. This also enacts the
opposite, in that, if you harm others, harm may be done unto you. This rule sets a guideline for
people to follow in relation to the treatment of other people.
There is a line, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven,” that explains a calling we Catholics
are beckoned to by the Church. This calling is one to forgive all who trespass against us, hurt us,
or cause us strife. The Church teaches we are called to forgive everyone, including our enemies.
This is definitely no easy task, as in our world and our minds it is easy to hold a grudge and
withhold those negative emotions inside. After all, the Golden Rule states that what goes around
comes around so why shouldn’t I hurt them back? Though it may appear simple at the surface
level one must look deeper into the meaning of both the Golden Rule and the scripture to obtain
the answer. If one enacts vengeance in such a scenario of having this enemy, one will be stuck in
a loop of hurting since, after one hurt the enemy, the enemy will attempt to hurt you again. This
is a vicious cycle that could continue for an extended period of time. If one forgives their enemy
however, this cycle cannot begin, and peace is restored. God will also reward those who forgive
by forgiving Himself.
We have a merciful God, and He only wishes for peace within His people and will thus
forgive us of our transgressions if we are willing to forgive others of theirs against us. But before
I close, I want to make one more thing clear, this enemy doesn’t have to be from the outside. We
can very well be our own enemy; so, it is important to learn to forgive oneself in order to obtain
peace, so one can live a better life and aid those around them. In conclusion, one should ponder
this, do I have any enemies now? Is there an enemy within myself that I haven’t forgiven? If
there is an enemy or someone to forgive, how close am I to forgiving them? Note that there is no
rush in forgiveness, it may take some time before one is able to forgive and that is okay. What

matters is that one day there is forgiveness. Thank you for your time and I sincerely hope this
message touches your heart today and throughout this Lenten season.