“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. (Matthew 5:43-45 NABRE)
There is no Old Testament commandment demanding hatred of one’s enemy, but the “neighbor” of the love commandment was understood as one’s fellow countryman. Jesus extends the love commandment to the enemy and the persecutor. His disciples, as children of God, must imitate the example of their Father, who grants his gifts of sun and rain to both the good and the bad.*
I do not have enemies and persecutors in my daily life. This is my first response to Jesus' direction. But if I dig a little below the surface of such strong words, perhaps there are some people who mock my faith and actively take steps to harm me by insults, however subtle or indirect, whether I am present or not at the time. And perhaps there are people in my own country who work tirelessly to remove my religious freedom from me, in ways I do not even understand.
Thank you, Jesus. You know all too well this type of persecution and you understand the loneliness and isolation which this faith can cause me. As thanks, I will love those who set themselves up against me because of my faith, and I will show my love by praying for them by name whenever I can. I will do this instead of allowing anger to rise within me or responding by retaliation. Thank you, Jesus, for showing me the true power of your way.
Today, I will look at the ways I should be showing love to my "enemies" and "persecutors."
Saint Albert Chmielowski, who became like a brother to the poor he served, pray for us.
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