Suckers and doomats

Nobody wants to be called a “sucker” or a “doormat” - especially in today’s world - but that is exactly what today’s readings invite us to be.

Our Lord is especially clear in today’s Gospel (Luke 6:27-38):

Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.

To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.

Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours
do not demand it back.

Sucker.

Doormat.

Why would anyone want to live that way?

The truth is that we might - repeat, might - be able to gain some relatively slight advantage or retain some temporary security in this world by looking out only for ourselves, but not even that is certain and no amount of advantage or security in the brief time we are in this world will mean anything in the eternal emptiness of death (let alone in comparison to the pains of Hell).

Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, be merciful to me - a sinner.

Only by the grace and mercy of God do we have any hope of joy or goodness beyond this world, let alone the eternal happiness to which God calls us.

That is why we must be merciful and generous - even to the point of being called suckers or doormats in this world.

For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.

(That is not to say that we should neglect our responsibilities to protect and provide for those entrusted to our care: we must indeed fulfill these responsibilities appropriately - as well as our responsibility to teach mercy and generosity).

For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.

Indeed, in eternity, the real “suckers” will be those who focused on prosperity and security in this world but neglected to store up treasure in Heaven by God’s grace.

And those who committed evil for the sake of their own worldly prosperity, if unrepentant, will be doormats in Hell.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, be merciful to me - a sinner.

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.

To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.

Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours
do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

For 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.
If you lend money
to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.

But rather,
love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Give, and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together,
shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.

For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.