Is the Golden Rule the New Baseline?

I’ve been experiencing some“teachable moments” lately - and not me with my kids, God with me as the kid who needed to learn. It culminated this weekend in church when we read this excerpt from Luke’s Gospel:

“Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?…But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great….”

This concept of loving your enemies, or even simply people you don’t like, of doing good to people who are mean, unkind or just plain nasty, well, THAT uses  the Golden Rule as a rung on the ladder and climbs to a whole new level! As if the Golden Rule were just table stakes! And though I’ve heard and read this passage more times than I can remember, it hit me hard this weekend. 

In fact, this is the foundation of the New Law (or new commandment) that Jesus gives us - to love one another as He loves us. Not only the people who love us back or those who are kind. Ev-ery-one. 

I really wish it were easier. I mean, can’t there be a few exceptions?? 

Here’s one of my teachable moments this week, and probably the reason the gospel passage above made me think, “OK, God, I get it! You’re trying to teach me something here!” A day or two earlier, there was a situation that did not make sense to me - I could not understand why someone was behaving in the way they were and had shared my opinion in no uncertain terms. As I was thinking about that, God gently led me down a path where it became apparent that I did not know what was going on with that person. I did not know the pressure they were under; I did not even know exactly what they considered to be a good outcome in this situation. And if I did not know that, how could I know if they’d made a good decision or not? And so I should shut my mouth, which, incidentally, is what I would hope others would do for me.(Golden Rule) But we know now that’s not enough. In the words of my youngest, I should give that person some grace. (New Law) 

For me, this is not an easy lesson to learn, let alone to apply. Lately I’ve been working on trying to sit quietly with God, though this is extremely difficult for me. (obviously, I like words - they pour out of me like a fountain) But in a quiet moment, God began showing me how all the judgement I was feeling and sharing was keeping me wound up tightly. And once I became aware of this, then perhaps I could (begin to) understand what I needed to do next. And difficult as it is, I am trying to get there. 

In my book, Important Catholic Women of the 20th Century, I include a quote from each of the women featured. Doroty Day’s quote is extremely relevant here: “The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us?” 

The New Law is certainly easier to read about than to apply to daily life. I think I’ll have to break it down into some smaller steps before I’m able to actually love everyone. Today, my goal is not to judge others or their motivations, especially when I don’t know why they are behaving the way they are. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to give them some of the grace I pray God extends to me.