Homily of Seventh Sunday of OT, Year C 2025

There is a Vietnamese priest who was imprisoned for a while by communist government. In one interrogation, the official challenged the priest's morality: we put you in prison, we make you suffer. So, do you hate us? The officer said: I know your bible says: love your enemies, but I don’t believe you don’t hate us. The priest replied: no, I don’t hate you, but we don’t agree with your ideology.

From that example, I learn: in human relationships, hate, resentment and revenge are parts of human feeling, reasoning and behavior. Social media talks about them every day. Many People, in the name of justice, create violence and divisions in our family and society. Every one of us, in some ways, experienced those feelings and thoughts.

But, in the gospel today, Jesus clearly said the opposite: “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…Forgive and you will be forgiven.” The gospel today is continuous of the Summons of the Mount. While the Summons of the Mount focus on “who we are called be”: like humble people, peace makers, pure of heart, and poor in spirit, etc. These teachings focus on what we are called to do for others like: give without expecting something back, forgive those who hurt us, and do not judge or condemn anyone.

I know you may say: It is easy to say, but it is difficult to do. But with the help of God’s grace, we can do it. If not, Jesus would not tell us to do it. Saint John said: if anyone says: I don’t have sins, is a liar. Therefore, everyone needs God’s forgiveness and everyone needs to forgive others. Even priests and bishops also need your forgiveness.

One Sunday, I said something that hurt a parishioner’s feelings and I never saw them again. Later, I learned that they did not leave the Church, but they just went to different parishes. I prayed for them. One month before I moved to another assignment, I sent them an email which said that I am sorry for whatever happened on that Sunday. I want to make peace before I go to a new parish. Surprisingly, the husband replied back in a Christian way. He said that they already let the matter go. They did not hold it against me. They wished me the best for my new assignment. Their response gives peace in my heart. We don’t hold grudges against each other. I think: there is a lot of humility involved when we say sorry to or forgive someone. We can do it with God’s grace.

Jesus gave humanity a great example of forgiveness when He was on the Cross. He prayed: “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.” He did not say: “I forgive you!” but he prayed for their repentant; he prayed for God’s mercy on them. Jesus died for all sinners even though many ungrateful people don’t think they sinned. What a wonderful way to forgive!

We have experienced a lot of times where we don’t say or we can’t say to our offenders: “I forgive you!” We sometimes waited for an apology, but it never came. Following Jesus’ example on the cross, we don’t wait for the person to apologize to us, we don’t wait for Justice to be done, but we pray for their conversion, and ask God to forgive them. If we are the one need forgiveness, we should humbly ask for forgiveness and if we are able, we should repair what we have broken.

Four or five times, homeless people came to me to ask for a free hotel night or gas money, some of them promised to pay me or the church back when they get home. I did not expect them to do that, but I helped them anyway.

Dear friends in Christ, I call the Beatitudes and this Sunday gospel are extraordinary and divine teachings because these teachings are higher than human expectations; in common sense, eye for eye and tooth for tooth, but Jesus command us, his disciples, to get over common sense in order to reach His holiness and perfection. Human justice only makes us slaves of resentment, hate, selfishness and greed, but God’s justice frees us from those things. Please, don’t ever forget this gospel if we call ourselves Christians. Every morning, when we get up, we have to aim high, that means the cross, not low.

I believe, if each of us live these beatitudes and this gospel in our daily life, we are called saints of God.