Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sr. Maureen Lomax, SNDdeN

February 23, 2025

Luke 6:27-38

‘Turning the world upside down’

International and local news presents us with almost nothing that reflects any real sense of the need to love and care for each other in our shared world. Every day we become more and more aware of attempts to gain territorial dominance which ignores other people’s right to live in safety, peace and dignity their own homes, in their own homelands. The processional movement of destitute Gazan refugees, walking along the coast of the land once called Palestine, echoed memories of the ‘Chosen people’ crossing the Red Sea to the ‘Promised Land.’ Ironic and very sad.

Where is God in all this? Among the Muslims, Jews and Christians of the Middle East, God seems hidden among the homeless, the bereaved, the hungry and displaced people of the world. For us Christians of the developed world the message of Christ is unequivocal: ‘Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.’

Jesus doesn’t really tell his disciples (including us) how to do these things. Offering the other cheek when someone strikes you, giving your clothing and goods to others even when not asked, are all responsive actions, but are they not a step too far? This is too difficult. Am I capable of this great love for everyone? It is not love that is of this world. This love cannot be limited to a mother’s love for her child, a husband’s / wife’s love for their partner, a child’s love for parents, brothers and sisters, love within friendship and reciprocal love to those who are good to us. The latter is good but it is not enough in Christ’s kingdom. This different love is all-encompassing; it is an unconditional love exemplified in Christ himself and spelt out throughout the Bible, especially in the New Testament.

This love is God and comes from God: ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:8) is the basis of the love to be expressed towards ‘enemies,’ ‘persecutors,’ ’cursers’ and ‘those who mistreat.’ Christ in his words and actions showed us how to respond to those who were against him. Like Christ we need to accept that we are loved by God (1 John 4:19) and that this love, ’poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit’ (Romans 5:5) enables us to love others as we love ourselves (Leviticus 19:18). God’s love for us all is without question since God sacrificed his only Son (John 3:16) for all of us. That is the love that enables us to love each other and it is the same love that Christ demonstrated in his life, death and resurrection. Love each other ‘as I have loved you’ (John 13:34), Jesus said, and ‘then others will know you are my disciples’ (John 13:35). Without this love, we cannot be truly close to God and we are nothing (1Corinthians 13:13).

However, if we accept God’s love we will be better able to express the same constant love for others (1 Peter 4:8). Love of God, love of neighbour and love of self are bound up together. One without the other is not God’s plan. Jesus died for all, not the few. Even when we fail, God’s will is that all should be saved: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34). Often we dwell on what is judgemental and condemnatory even though Jesus said ‘Do not judge…….do not condemn’ and more consolingly  ‘Forgive, and you will be forgiven’ (Luke 6:37).

In his life on earth, Jesus lived fearlessly, loved courageously and forgave endlessly. Shouldn’t we do the same? As Bishop Tutu once said ‘God’s dream is that you and I, and all of us, will realise that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion.’

Reflection:

• Jesus invited his disciples to respond to challenges as he did by loving, doing good, blessing, praying, forgiving and giving….in and out of season.

Ponder on your response to Christ’s invitation to you to do the same.

• Jesus’ challenges are a bit like commandments! Re-think each one in the style of the Beatitudes e.g. ‘Blessed/Happy are you when you forgive those who hurt you.’
• ‘The world’s only loving to its friends,

But you have brought us love that never ends;  Loving enemies too,

And this loving with you  Is what’s turning the world upside down.’
(Verse 2 of hymn by Patrick Appleford)

Luke 6:27-38

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

The Gospel of the Lord…

Meet Sister Maureen Lomax, SNDdeN

Maureen Lomax was born in Lancashire, England, on September 1st 1942, the third living child of four, two girls and two boys. Like most families who raised children during the Second World War, her family coped with food rationing, second-hand clothes/furniture, running into the bomb shelter at night during air raids, borrowing and lending sugar/tea/etc., and father away in the Army. Although everything was in short supply, and everyone was encouraged not to waste anything, her mother managed to feed the children, clothe them and see that they were well educated. The children all passed the scholarship and so could attend a Grammar or Technical School from the age of eleven onwards without having to pay school fees. They were very fortunate. That was when Maureen first met the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. From 1953 (the year all war rationing ended), she attended Notre Dame High School in St Helens, Merseyside. She entered the Ashdown Novitiate in 1959, made first vows in 1962 and final vows in 1967. Meanwhile, Sr. Maureen trained as a secondary teacher of English, Music and Religious Education, attending Notre Dame College of Education, Liverpool. She did a degree in Philosophy/Religious Studies at Leeds University in 1974. Over the years she taught mainly in non-selective secondary schools, teaching English, Religious Education, Music, Special Needs and some general subjects to boys and girls from 11 to 18 years of age. Sr. Maureen has worked in various parts of England: Wigan and St Helens in the North West, Norwich in East Anglia, Upminster in East London and Plymouth, Devon, in the South West. Unfortunately, just before she retired from the headship of Notre Dame RC School in Plymouth in 2002, she suffered a High Blood Pressure haemorrhage in her left eye which caused blindness. After her retirement, Sr. Maureen had time to recover her health and then had the privilege of visiting our Sisters in Nicaragua (2007), Peru and California (2008) and Zimbabwe (2009). In each place, she was able to give some practical help and also learn first-hand about the customs and conditions in which people survive. She has always had an interest in the work of our Sisters in these vulnerable parts of the world, and had a lot of theoretical knowledge about them, but being there and meeting the people still remains for her a living memory. Since then, Sr. Maureen has been involved in helping and supporting asylum seekers in Barnsley, North Yorkshire, together with a small Parish Group. She became Chair of Governors at a Roman Catholic and Anglican Secondary School and was able to use her recent experience of school leadership for the benefit of a school in difficulties. As a sideline, she planned and provided music for a parish together with a small group. In addition, work with Asylum Seekers was on-going within the Barnsley community which was ecumenical. Sr. Maureen served in Rome as General Secretary of the Sisters of Notre Dame from 2010 through 2013. After that she ministered in Britain as a Coordinator for our Sisters in a Notre Dame Health Care facility. In March 2017 she was ableto take a break from ‘responsibilities’ and moved to Birkdale in the north of England. Apart from playing the organ for community Masses, continuing being a School Governor~ at our Notre Dame College in Liverpool, visiting family and friends and doing little jobs in the house, she enjoyed some respite. From 2018-2020, London became her home when she assisted as a School Chaplain at Notre Dame Secondary School for Girls. Then Covid-19 struck and schools closed in March 2020. Sat that time she became aware that her niece in Derbyshire needed support in the care of her parents. For almost three years she was privileged to share the care of her sister in law who died in May 2021 and her elder brother until he died on 25th January 2023. Just before Easter 2023 she was able to move to Liverpool joining our Childwall Community where she has been able to enjoy the company of our Sisters and the assistance of caring staff.