We all have times in our lives when we are badly treated, times when we are hurt by others physically or emotionally. Times when we are let down; times when it seems that others want to do us harm. In times of stress humans are programmed to do one of two things, fight or flight – resist or run away. All of us will have had times either when we have gone into combat mode, and other times when we retreat into our hurt and pain.

In Sunday’s gospel Jesus radically shifts the bias of teaching found in the Old Testament from eye for eye, tooth for tooth to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. This teaching of Jesus has a “feel good” factor about it until we are in situations when we are called to put it into practice; its easy to say but very hard to do. Jesus shows us how to do this, particularly during his betrayal, passion, and death. In the martyrs, including those in our time, we see how they go to their death often with words of faith, love, and forgiveness on their lips and in their hearts. How is this possible? Left to ourselves in our own frailty and fear our negative emotions overwhelm us, but a connection to Jesus in faith and in prayer, with the power of the Holy Spirit, enables us to reach beyond resentment or fears. Being connected to Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, enables us to be more like Him in what we feel, say and do particularly in times of crisis in our lives. I know this through direct experience, and I have also seen it many times in the lives of our brothers and sister. When times are hard pray, “Jesus I trust in you. Jesus help me to be like you.”

With my sincere best wishes for the week ahead.

God bless

Fr Chris