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Gospel Reading - The forgiving spirit

²⁷“Listen, all of you. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. ²⁸Pray for the happiness of those who curse you; implore God’s blessing on those who hurt you.

²⁹“If someone slaps you on one cheek, let him slap the other too! If someone demands your coat, give him your shirt besides. ³⁰Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken away from you, don’t worry about getting them back. ³¹Treat others as you want them to treat you.

³²“Do you think you deserve credit for merely loving those who love you? Even the godless do that! ³³And if you do good only to those who do you good — is that so wonderful? Even sinners do that much! ³⁴And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, what good is that? Even the most wicked will lend to their own kind for full return!

³⁵“Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don’t be concerned about the fact that they won’t repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as sons of God: for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are very wicked.

³⁶“Try to show as much compassion as your Father does."

³⁷“Never criticize or condemn — or it will all come back on you. Go easy on others; then they will do the same for you.^{a 38}For if you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give — large or small — will be used to measure what is given back to you.”

1. Literally, “Release, and you shall be released.”