Love Our Enemies
This is an article I’ve been debating to write about for the past 4 weeks. Today looks like a perfect day as it fits the lessons of the scripture passages for today. I’ve been in two minds about this topic because it involves me, my parents and siblings on one side and my cousins on the other.
My family and my cousins’ family were very close when we were children and as we grew up a lot of baggage was collected but not thrashed and trashed out. Eventually about 5 years ago my cousins exploded out and the relationship was strained if not severed with some of us. Although time has passed we are still estranged but some of us are cordial with some of them.
Four weeks ago our family had a discussion about how my cousins expect us to approach them but seldom or never vice versa. This brought up the issue of what Jesus expects of us. Some of us feel that as today’s Gospel reading (Lk. 6:27-38) expresses, we are told to love our enemies even to the point of losing ourselves. We are called to love until it hurts and this goes against how some of us feel (wrongly) that Jesus didn’t say we must always make the first move. On the contrary, this is what Jesus implies when he tells us to go and settle any differences we may have with a brother before we offer anything to God.
When we think that others should reciprocate then we become losers as we end up in the camp of Lucifer rather than in the winner’s camp with Jesus. Submitting to pride makes the Devil proud of us as his followers. This is the consequence each time we justify why we shouldn’t follow Jesus’ advice.
Christianity is the only religion that encourages her believers to love the enemy. We are also expected to forgive even before we are asked for forgiveness. Monsignor Dennis Clark says that when our hearts are bitter, we project our narrow ugly image of the world. Can we then be the light to the world we are expected to be? Fr. Paul Scalia alludes to this lesson as well when he states that we receive as much forgiveness from God as we give.
On Judgement Day, do we want to be the sheep who are thanked for helping Him or the goat who are chastised for not lifting a finger to care for Him? I think the objective we should have in deciding if we want to follow Jesus is simply to ask if we want to make Him happy (by obeying Him) or satisfy our pride, which usually involves betraying Him.
I find the Rule of St. Benedictine useful assistance to reach Sainthood. Here they are:
The Corporal Works of Mercy
- To feed the hungry
- To give drink to the thirsty
- To clothe the naked
- To shelter the homeless
- To visit the sick
- To comfort the imprisoned
- To bury the dead
The Spiritual Works of Mercy
- To instruct the ignorant
- To counsel the doubtful
- To bear wrongs patiently
- To forgive offences willingly
- To comfort the afflicted
David Robinson’s book The Family Cloister: Benedictine Wisdom for the Family is useful for further reading.
Is living the commandment to love our enemies impossible? Absolutely! It’s impossible for humans but when we invite the help of the Holy Spirit it becomes possible.
February 18th, 2007 at 3:19
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