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Loving the Enemy, Part 1

First Reading: 1 Kgs 21:1-16

Psalm: Ps 5:2-3ab4b-6a, 6b-7

Gospel: Mt 5:38-42

The nature of a Christian is to love the enemy. This Gospel summarizes this love in so many ways that there is no doubt that this is what God wants us to do. In many other passages in the Gospels, Christ invites us to offer the wicked man no resistance. During those times, hitting you on the right cheek was an insult to one’s dignity and honor. Requiring one to go one mile was a form of injustice and yet Christ invites us to go two miles! Christ invites us to love those who do injustice to us. The enemy here may be living under our house. When our husband or wife goes against our will, he or she becomes our “enemy”. When our children disobey or disrespect us, they become our enemy. Anyone who destroys our plans or our projections becomes our enemy. And Christ invites us to love them as they are, especially when they are unlovable.

And how is this possible? Humanly speaking it is not. But with the Holy Spirit, Christ gives us His spirit that it may be possible. Because this is what Christ did with us. Christ loved us when we were His enemies. When we killed him with our sins, Christ answered with the other cheek, Christ also gave us his cloak, his life and walked two miles for us. Christ never took account of our sins, but paid for them with his blood. Believe it or not- we can only be truly happy when we can possess this special divine love for the enemy. This is the true love that saves the world!

One Bread, One Body

<< Monday, June 18, 2012 >>

Saint of the Day

1 Kings 21:1-16
View Readings

Psalm 5:2-7

Matthew 5:38-42

OUR CHRISTIAN HERITAGE: NOT FOR SALE

"I will not give you my ancestral heritage." —1 Kings 21:4

Although Naboth was offered by King Ahab a better vineyard in exchange for his family's vineyard (1 Kgs 21:2), Naboth refused Ahab's offer. " 'The Lord forbid,' Naboth answered him, 'that I should give you my ancestral heritage' " (1 Kgs 21:3). Naboth was eventually stoned to death because he would not part with his ancestral heritage (1 Kgs 21:13). In contrast to Naboth, Esau sold not only his ancestral heritage but his birthright for a bowl of red stew (Gn 25:30ff). "Esau cared little for his birthright" (Gn 25:34).

Our heritage and birthright are much more than pieces of property. Our Christian heritage includes divine revelation through the official teachings of the Church, especially in the Bible. Our heritage is the truth of God's Word, His power manifested in the sacraments, and His love flowing through the body of Christ, the Church.

To preserve and deepen this heritage, we will certainly have to sacrifice. We may even have to give our lives. So many Christians don't know the truths of their faith. Many are Biblically illiterate, unappreciative of the Lord's awesome sacramental presence and power, and trapped in the isolated individualism of our "culture of death." Many of us have sold our birthright and heritage for next to nothing.

Jesus has paid the price of our heritage with His blood. He commands us: "Wake up, and strengthen what remains before it dies" (Rv 3:2). Sacrifice and die to preserve our heritage in Christ.

Prayer: Father, I will "fight hard for the faith delivered once for all to the saints" (Jude 3).

Promise: "What I say to you is: offer no resistance to injury. When a person strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer him the other." —Mt 5:39

Praise: Henry's health improved once he forgave his parents.