Today Jesus tells us, love your enemies, challenging society’s values and even common sense. Why should we love those who have or would harm us? Probably, because one of the greatest gifts we can give is our mercy. Obviously, we feel our enemy doesn’t deserve our mercy, but it may help to realize that it is God’s mercy that we extend, that it’s God’s mercy that counts. Let us think of those who have wronged us and pray that we can be instruments of God’s mercy in their lives.
Our Lord also teaches today the Golden Rule. “Do to others as you would have them do to you,” but immediately takes it one step further, telling his disciples to, “love your enemies and do good to them.” He is not telling them just to passively tolerate them, but to actively do kind things for them. This is as counter-cultural now as it was then. It asks us to look at our enemies as God does, with mercy and love. None of us is sinless, immune from judgment, or condemnation. How often have we seen a public figure denounce a person or a group or heard a friend bad-mouth someone else? Let us realize that the reverse could happen just as easily. Our challenge is to reconcile with those we want to condemn, giving others the mercy God gives us.
Love, Peace, Joy,
-Fr. Bob
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