LOVE YOUR ENEMY

REFLECTION FOR 7TH SUNDAY OF YEAR C 

R1:  1 Sam 26:2;7-9; 12-13; 22-23, 

R2: 1 Cor 15: 45-49, 

Gospel: Lk 6:27-38

*Theme: Love Your Enemy*

Dear friends in Christ, listening to the gospel reading of today and its demands, one is left with wonder on the possibility of practising the demands of the gospel. How can I love my enemy, how can I pray for the one that persecutes me? This is a big challenge for us Christians. Thus, how can we discern the mind of Jesus? The demands of the gospel leave us with the following lessons:

*1. What to do when confronted with evil:*

There is no doubt that being a Christian is not a bed of roses. It is never an easy experience being a Christian; _*it is not an easy road.*_ Hence, Christ says, “I am sending you as sheep among  wolves (Mt 10:16).”  The patience of a Christian will be tried, the piety of a Christian will be taken as a weakness, and the love of a Christian will be repaid with hatred and rejection. These and more constitute the enemy that confronts a Christian and this is the subject of the gospel reading of today.

How to overcome this challenge, the gospel reading states: “Love your enemy, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.” Notice that there are four important solutions suggested by the gospel; *i. Love, ii. Do good, iii. Bless, iv. Pray.* These are the possible solutions to be adopted. It becomes very clear that Jesus is discouraging any form of revenge and is encouraging going an extra mile in our religiosity. The target here is making first step towards the wrong doer and the aim is reconciliation and never to pay back evil for evil. Jesus understands that even we Christians can, out of our own weakness offend others and if they are to fight back, there will be no peace on earth and that is why he gives us the golden rule, “Treat others as you would like them treat you” (Lk 6:31).

*2. Being Imitators of Christ:*

Christ teaching on love of enemy may be seen as a high levelled Christianity. That is why in gospel reading rightly says: “If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them” (Lk 6:32).

Christ is not intending that we should remain in the ordinary level. His intention is to challenge our look warm Christianity and to follow after his example, thus, the gospel says, “Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate” (Lk 6:36). God has shown us the example, that while we were still sinners, He took the first step towards reconciliation with Him, sent His only begotten Son to come and die for us and bring us salvation. We too must do likewise towards our neighbours, including our enemy.

*3. We are God’s Anointed:* 

Being anointed could mean, being chosen for a particular religious activity. The first reading of today gives us an important reason why we should not revenge our enemy. Saul who was pursuing David to kill him fell into the trap David, who had every reason to kill him, but David spared his life, saying, “God forbid that I should raise my hand against the Lord’s anointed” (1Sam 26:11).

It is good we understand that by the virtue of being created in the image and likeness of God, and by the virtue of our sharing in the breathe of God and by the water of our baptism, every human being shares ontologically in this divine anointing, because, we all have been set apart for a particular purpose of *“Knowing Him, loving Him, serving Him, and being happy with Him forever”* and there is no human power or human person that should thwart this divine intention. No matter what someone may have done, no reason can justify taking the life of another or revenge. It is not within our power to take another person’s life because we didn’t give life to anyone. Going contrary to this is entering into the domain of God; hence we can’t escape without facing the anger of God. David understood this very well and he said, “No one can touch the Lord’s anointed without being punished” (1 Sam 26:9).

Dear friends, this is a big challenge before us Christians today. However, with Christ by our side we shall do bravely. May the Lord help us to be compassionate and kind after His own example, through Christ our Lord, *Amen.*

*_Fr. Vincent Chukwuemeka Livinus, SMMM._*