Love Your Enemy

There is a lot of turmoil in our country today.

There is also a lot of turmoil in the world.

I was struck especially about the bodies of the two youngest hostages –

Ariel (AH-ree-EL)(who was captured at age 4) and Kfir (K-feer) (captured at age 9 mo.) His name means “Lion cub,” who were released back to Israel.

How sad! How terrible! What a loss for this world.

My only consolation is that God has brought them to his side and holds them close.

Yet they are just two of 44,300 deaths in this war and 70% of them are women and children.

Imagine the tears that have been shed – and I believe, God weeps, too.

Maybe the readings we have today can shed some light on the violence in our world.

St. Paul tells us that Adam, the first man became a living being.

He was created from the earth, from the ground. He was earthly.

Then God blew into his nostrils, the breath of life, and he became a living being. (Genesis, 2:7)

But being earthly, it was not long before sin entered into his life and by the second generation, violence!

Human beings are born with certain instincts – fight or flight, revenge, hatred, selfishness, and sin.

If this was it – if this was all there was to the creation of humankind – it would be a very sad situation.  But there is more.

St. Paul tells us that the Last Adam, Jesus is a life-giving spirit. First came the natural and then came the spiritual.

Jesus is both human and divine – and as a life-giving spirit, he gives us new life through his death and resurrection.

Therefore, as we are human, natural, earthly, we are also spiritual, heavenly, and eternal.

You see, this reading is a continuation of what St. Paul was trying to teach us last week.

Our hope is in the resurrection of Jesus. No resurrection, no hope!

Resurrection – Hope!

Our life is a pilgrimage from earthly to heavenly.

David is on that pilgrimage in our first reading.

Samuel was taken aback when God sent him to anoint David as king while Saul was still alive. When Saul learned that David had been anointed, he took 3000 of his best men to and went out to capture and probably kill David – a natural, earthly, instinctive response by Saul.

Even though David had a tough row to hoe, he had been well prepared by God – and the Spirit was with him – remember, he did not shy away from defeating Goliath. 

But he was further along on his pilgrimage at this time. He had a better plan. He and Abishai (ah-BI-shy) moved among Saul’s camp while the “the best” were asleep. David took Saul’s spear and water jug and he an Abishai went aways from the camp and then David called out, “Here is the King’s spear – send an attendant to get it.

The Lord will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness.

Today, though the Lord delivered you into my grasp, I would not harm the Lord’s anointed.”

Think about how this situation unfolded.

David was calling Saul out in front of his men.

David testifies that he could have killed Saul, but he would not because Saul was God’s anointed.

What does that say about Saul – since he would have been willing to kill David – also God’s anointed.

David clearly states that the Lord will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness.

What is the result of this exchange?

The story continues in the 26^th chapter of 1^st Samuel. It ends like this:

Then Saul said, “I have done wrong. Come back my son David, I will not harm you again because you have held my life precious today…Blessed are you, my son David. You shall certainly succeed in what you undertake.”

David went his way, and Saul returned to his home.

David’s actions changed Saul. David’s witness of justice, faithfulness and mercy changed Saul. This is what it means to love one’s enemy – not to wish his death, not to wish his condemnation, but rather to seek his salvation. Saul was a better man for what happened in the desert of Ziph.

As David was on that pilgrimage in our first reading, we are on that pilgrimage now!

 We have the benefit of the instruction that Jesus gives us in the Gospel today:

• Love your enemies – What does that mean? It means that you want what is best for them – salvation, not eternal condemnation. You want them to be the best version of who God made them to be, and you are willing to work for it, sacrifice for it and maybe even risk for it.
• do good to those who hate you.
• bless those who curse you.
• pray for those who mistreat you.

Here is probably the most challenging thing that Jesus said regarding the love of your Enemy.  To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other as well.

The world says there are only two ways to meet oppression:

• Fight – even with violence if needed.
• Passively accept what happens.

Jesus gives us a third way – ACTIVE NON-VIOLENCE.

• Resist with wisdom.
• Now, St. Matthew writes this saying of Jesus a little differently. Slap in the face – “When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other one as well.”
  • Right cheek – would have been a back handed slap because one would not use the left hand – unclean.
  • Back handed slap was the usual way that a person would admonish an inferior person.
  • Turn the other cheek would require a front handed slap – as to an equal.
  • The fact that the person was not fazed by the act that was meant to humiliate causes the one who humiliates (and anyone else who sees it) to think twice about the action.
• Jesus was challenging the culture of his time.
• Makes people think – helps them to become a better person – and that is love! That is one way to love our enemies. That was in the time in which Jesus lived. How does it look in our times.
• Church sign: Love your enemies – it messes with their minds!
• Jesus is not calling us to be a door mat.
• Jesus is not calling us to enable the bad behavior of others.
• But he is calling us to respond in a way that is consistent with the law of Love!
  • Do not harbor evil thoughts about your enemy.
  • Until you know for certain otherwise – think they have intentions for good.
  • Pray for them. Pray for their salvation – not for their condemnation.
  • Seek the wisdom of God in responding to them.
  • Don’t retaliate.
  • Forgive your enemy.

The Father’s will is that we would love one another. If we do this – we are way different than the world around us. 

How can we be kind to those who are mean to us? By ourselves, we can’t – but if we try seeking Jesus in prayer and here in the Eucharist – we can. 

Living as a disciple of Jesus, conforming ourselves to Jesus is hard!

That is why we need to come here and be strengthened by the Eucharist.

That is why we need to come here and be encouraged by one another.

As we work at it, we will grow in holiness.

Love your enemy – and be holy!