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Gospel: Luke 6: 36 – 38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Today’s Gospel is a snippet of Jesus’ most popular sermon, known as the Sermon on the Mount.
In it, he not only re-interprets the law of the Old Testament; he also adds his own teachings.
For example, in the Old Testament, the Law stated, “Do to no one what you yourself dislike.” This is sometimes called the “Silver Rule,” because it tells you what not to do, instead of what you should do.
Jesus ratches the “Silver Rule” up a notch, commanding us to treat others the way that we want to be treated – the “Golden Rule.”
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Consider the difference.
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Instead of, “Don’t lie.”
“Tell the truth because you want others to be honest with you, as well.”
Instead of, “Don’t gossip.”
“Be affirming in your language towards others, because you also want them to affirm you.”
Instead of, “Don’t judge.”
“Look for the good in other people, because you also want them to focus on what is good in you.”
Instead of simply avoiding harm, do good to other people, even if you must go first.
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How do we live out the Golden Rule? In what ways can we do good for other people today?
“The measure with which you measure,” Jesus says, (or the good that you do), “will in turn be measured out to you.”
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Image credits: (1) Coffee and Carpool (2) Christian Publishing House Blog (3) Skeptic Ink