In this passage from Matthew's Gospel, Jesus quotes an old saying that someone many centuries later called the Golden Rule. It is common sense, folk wisdom - a principle of reciprocity: Treat others the way you want them to treat you.
In Luke's version, Jesus goes on to point out that he expects more than this. After quoting the Golden rule, he says: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners loves those who love them ... But rather, love our enemies and do good to them." (Luke 6:32-35)
This deserves some careful reflection. In baptism, you died to one way of living and rose to a new and different way of life.
You are called to follow a way of life that is unconventional, drastically different. The nicely balanced scales of justice are not our logo. Our logo is the cross.
The fact that Christians make up a large percentage of the world's population can be deceptive - as though living the Gospel is a "normal" way of life. It isn't.
How do you go beyond the Golden Rule? You treat others the way Jesus does.
That's expecting an awful lot.
That's why we have Lent.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw