Doing good to others brings change

February 18, 2007 -- Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Fr. Michael Stubbs

	Fr. Mike Stubbs

My 14-year-old nephew is planning to be confirmed this spring. As part of his preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation, he has participated in several service projects. For example, he made a welcome-home banner for a chaplain returning from Iraq. He baked cookies for his Confirmation class. He earned money to buy presents for a family at Christmas.

This is a fairly common approach for young people preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation. By having them participate in service projects, they hopefully will learn something about the importance of service in the life of a Christian. Perhaps they will be motivated to service, even when it does not form part of a requirement.

That is the tricky part. How can we inspire people to serve others? How do we motivate them to behave in a loving manner towards others? That is Jesus' goal in Sunday's gospel reading.

At first glance, the gospel reading, Luke 6:27-38, appears to send us a mixed message. First, the gospel reading tells us to treat others well without expecting any reward in return. "Lend expecting nothing back." It tells us to "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." If by some miracle, these altruistic gestures inspire the recipient to a change of heart, transforming the enemy into a friend, converting those hate and curse and mistreat us into loving individuals, that is an unexpected bonus. We should not count on it. The gospel instructs us to do good to others, without thinking that they will reciprocate. "Expect nothing back."

And then, the gospel appears to go another direction. We can hope for a reward, but not from those we help, but rather, from Almighty God. "Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you. ... For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."

The first part of the gospel suggests that doing good is its own reward. But in this second part, the gospel appears to suggest that a reward is indeed coming, but that it will be delayed in arriving. It will happen in God's own time, because it is from God.

The gospel reading appears to be sending a mixed message. Perhaps we can clear up some of the confusion by examining another theme of the gospel reading. It urges us to act according to God's standard, not our own. It calls upon us to look upon God as the model to follow. "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." By imitating God, we share in God's life. "You will be children of the Most High."

In other words, doing good to others results in a transformation, not of our antagonists, but of ourselves. We may not be able to turn our enemies into loving individuals by loving them, but we do undergo a change ourselves. We turn ourselves into persons whom God claims as sons and daughters. And that provides us with the best reward of all.

(Fr. Stubbs, a priest of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, has a master's degree in theology from Harvard.)