Measuring Cups

In today's Gospel from Luke, Jesus tells his disciples (and us):

"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. ...

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 also 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."

I just spent my morning with my cup of coffee and the morning paper. There is so much in the paper, much of it reflecting the actions of self-proclaimed Christians, which seems to cry out for these words from Jesus. But Jesus is not only preaching about actions in the public sphere, those actions of others that make me cringe in their vindictiveness and vengefulness. I must also look at my own life, my own relationships. Jesus doesn't say "To you who are discriminating against others, using hateful words, or other vengeful actions." Rather, he directs these words to "you who hear," and that, my friends, includes all of us.

Where are you called to stop judging and forgive in your own life today?