In our gospel for today the Lord is teaching us about the gospel of love for all people, even those we don't like or who we may consider our enemies. It's interesting that he uses the word "enemy." There are those I know that may not be my "enemy," but I would rather not have anything to do with. Loving these people is not easy, is it?
As our Lord points out, it's easy to love those that we find "lovable" in our lives. But we have to remember that all people we encounter are made in the image and likeness of God. God loves them unconditionally. God loves those people that we may consider to be "jerks!" There are those in our circle of life, whether it's family or people we encounter during the day, that know how to press our "buttons". They know how to say or do things that can hurt our feelings and get under our skin. Further, it is during this time of year when we may be discussing who should win the presidential election. We may get wrapped up in our particular political point of view and hate those who may disagree with what we consider to be true or correct. Or we may hate the candidate that doesn't fit in line with our political point of view. We need to view all people through the lens of love. Then we need to pray for them and their intentions.
Regarding those that may be good at pressing our buttons, it may be best for our own peace of mind to keep our distance from them. But we are still expected to love them and pray for them. We don't have to "like" them, but we need to love them.
So, let's "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect" and love all people as the Lord is calling us to love them.
From Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely a challenge to love our enemies. It is a relief that this "love" for our enemies does not include "liking" them & it is not a matter of our feelings or affection but it requires an act of the will.
It would be easier if Our LORD has merely said "Do not hate your enemies" or if He had merely said "Do no harm to your enemies'--I think I can obey these with reasonable ease--but He oes further by commanding us to love them & pray for them.
So what are we/am I required to do in order to love our enemies, especially those who, in our/my seeking righteousness & sometimes falling over on the side of self-righteousness, see as enemies of GOD & enemies of Catholic moral teaching? Especially politicians who claim to be "devout Catholic" while seemingly doing everything in their power to oppose Catholic moral teaching in the extreme, especially in the area of abortion?? Those who virtually "make my blood boil"!
I am not sure how far I can go with this, but I can wish & pray for what would be the best for them, which would be their conversion, their repentance & their salvation. Instead of envisioning them burning in hell & being convinced and feeling justified that this would be their just punishment, I need to hope & actually pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal the error of their ways to them & open their minds & hearts to repent & be converted, hopefully sooner rather than later, reform their lives & spend eternity (maybe after some purgatory time) in heaven. It might not hurt to warn them (as I have done by adding language to an e-mail) that their position on abortion & other moral issues is detrimental to their souls & potentially their eternal destiny & they need to consider this, especially in light of advanced age & to express this in true concern rather than gloating. At least these--especially prayer--would be a start!