We have this revolutionary commandment: “You have heard
that it was said, ‘You shall love your countrymen and hate your enemy.’ But I
say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you
may be sons and daughters of your heavenly God. . . .” (Matthew 5:43–45).
These are the most radical, political, and revolutionary
words ever uttered. They fulfill the vision of nonviolence, of work for justice
and disarmament, of universal compassion and unconditional forgiveness, and of
trust in the God of peace. Few discuss this commandment, but I believe it sums
up Christianity. But we’ve done our best to avoid and disobey it.
John Dear,
The Beatitudes of Peace: Meditations on the Beatitudes,
Peacemaking and the Spiritual
Life (Twenty-Third Publications: 2016), 129–130
______________________________
It is a conundrum
this teaching of Jesus that we
are to love our enemies
we have been taught from birth
that there are good people and bad people
we have been taught that the
good folk fight the bad folk
and, hallelujah, in then and
power of God, defeat them
in America we have built a
national identity around being the
“power for good”
the hero nation that “saves the
world”!!
time and time and time again
we have developed a culture of
aggression and violence
we have deified force and
sanctified the carrying of tools of death
and into this ethos come the
words of Jesus
love your enemies
pray for those who persecute
you
and pray not for their defeat
or death, but for their redemption
and don’t just pray!
act accordingly!
Ouch
walk with your enemy the second
mile (go along side)
give them the coat off your
back (give to them in a sacrificial way)
turn the other check (be a
pacifist)
give to them, expecting nothing
back (what does this say about taking care of the poor? how do we stuff “lazy moocher” into this
one?)
Paul doubles down on the words
of Jesus
“if your enemy is hungry, feed
him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will
heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good.”
it is the drumroll of the
Gospel
Alas and Alack!
I do not love my enemies
I would like to claim that I do
sometimes I claim that I do
often I try
but I am found wanting
when it comes to enemies
when it comes to those I
believe are doing wrong
when it comes to those who lie,
or believe lies
those who refuse to do what is
for the common good (get a shot, or if not, wear a mask)
those who are racist
those who try to intimidate,
coerce and dominate
those who put people over money
I am found wanting
even when I try
when I was growing up I used to
listen to a record that my mother had bought, by a guy named Tom Lerner. Lerner used to sing songs that highlighted
the ills of society.
Among his hits were song such
as “Pollution” which had the line “fish gotta swim and birds gotta fly, but
they don’t last long if they try!”
and
“So Long Mom, I’m off to drop
the bomb”.
but one that always hit me
powerfully was a little song called “National Brotherhood Week”. Tom introduced the song this way.
“One week of every year is
designated National Brotherhood Week.
This is just one of many such
weeks honoring various worthy causes.
During National Brotherhood
Week various special events are arranged to drive home the message of
brotherhood.
I'm sure we all agree that we
ought to love one another
and I know there are people in
the world that do not love their fellow human beings
and I hate people like that.”
Ouch!
so what do I do?
like Paul my soul cries out
“for what I want to do I do not
do, but what I hate I do. 16
and if I do what I do not want
to do” (Romans 7)
what do I do?
I turn to the Presence of Love
in me
for what I cannot do
Love Incarnate
can
Love can give me love
for all those who I believe
violate love
imperil our nation
oppress the poor
and marginalize others
and perhaps,
just perhaps
if love can do that for me
then as if flows through me and
from me
it can get through to them
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