Who are the people who have wronged you? It has been said that although loving your enemies is only one theme among many in the Sermon on the Plain, it is the most dominant one.18 Therefore, Luke uses the command in the beginning to make sure his point is known, … Those are the words of Christ; that is the heart of the Gospel. About Doctor Eric; My Family; Love Your Enemies. If it is our enemies we are to love, they must remain enemies. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Reflections from Deacon Jay Sunday, February 24, 2019. We're to pray for those who mistreat us? Teaching Points. I can't offer kindness to those who have wronged me unless your Spirit stirs within me. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let them slap your left cheek too… love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Is it possible to follow this teaching of Jesus today? Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” When I think of loving our enemy, I think of Jesus who loved those who nailed him to the cross. Love Your Enemy: A Reflection on the Silence of Passion by Mary Snyder Mindfulness is a new word. Your demands seem so hard, or even impossible. Thus, even as I promise to do as you say, I'm also asking you to give me the strength to do the impossible. Live love. Who are our enemies? In this way we act like our Father who regularly gives good things to those who love him and those who don’t. "Love for enemies is the key to the solution of the problems of our world," Dr. King wrote. We put our needs before their needs; our personal interest before theirs. Most similar commands in antiquity were about non-retaliation or benevolence to enemies. Let's step back for a moment and let something Jesus said at theend of his life wave a banner over this commandment to love ourenemies But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. If it is our enemies we are to love, they must remain enemies. Let’s unpack this teaching a bit to understand what Jesus really said here. The Heart of Perfect Love and Self-Giving, The Cross, the Eucharist and the Blessed Mother, The Profound Teaching of the Holy Eucharist, God Becomes Man—Nine Months Before Christmas. Joseph was the favoured son of Jacob’s favoured wife Rachel. It could be a family member, someone at work, a neighbor or someone from your past with whom you have never reconciled. Tagged: Bible study, Christian values, gospel of luke, Jesus Christ, love your enemies, luke 6, luke 6:27, teachings of Christ, teachings of Jesus. Novena to the Sacred Heart We all remember the great president of this United States, Abraham Lincoln—these United States rather. Love Your Enemies (A Simple Word: Gospel Reflections) Capuchin Franciscans. . Unwavering Faith in the Face of Confusion, Ask, and All Good Things Will Be Given You, Drawn to Jesus, Drawn to Mercy for Others, Sowing the Word of God…Despite the Results. “….I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…”. Many years ago, for example, I lived with another Jesuit who simply refused to talk to me. Image by It is a call to act well towards those who treat us badly and to pray for them. 1 Peter 48 – Keep loving one another sincerely. do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." We are to “love our enemies.” 2) Loving our enemies is hard, but it is a commandment (as part of loving our neighbors as ourselves) and possible (because if we ask, we shall be given to you). Like Jesus with his disciples. Dr. Smith once again showed why he is the leading Berean light with his recent series on loving your enemies–how do we engage in the public sphere while honoring Christ? Gospel Reflections Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. With your gift of any size, you’ll enable us to continue equipping Christians with high-quality biblically-based content. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. When I think of loving our enemy, I think of Jesus who loved those who nailed him to the cross. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the listeners: You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’ but I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your Father in heaven. In order to bend it, you first must heat it. I have another children’s book to share with you, and no, it not the only kind of book I read. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. But we may have people in our lives who we are tempted to have anger toward and who we have a difficult time loving. We are also called to pray for them, and for many of us this is the last thing we want to do. Yet he loved the people. I can't love my enemies without your help. Once you identify this person or persons, think about whether you pray for them. One thing I know, and that is I can't do this alone. Unless you have enemies, you cannot love them. Luke 6:27-28. Our Blessed Mother: The Queen of All Saints! Luke (6:27) Love of Enemies Reflection Essay. But Jesus calls the Jews to love their enemies—to love the very Gentiles who have lived an immoral life far from God and have inflicted so much suffering on the Jewish people. Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. The Arthur C. Clarke Award is the most prestigious science fiction award in the UK. In 2016 it was given to Adrian Tchaikovski’s book Children of Time. May God make us more and more like Christ so that His love shines forth, even upon our enemies! I’m quoting from one of the Maxims of the Pharisees. Conflict is a persistent feature that has caused strife in the past, present, and will likely continue in the future. There's a part of me that wants to get away from this chapter of Matthew. There are some people we simply do not and cannot like. This aspect of love is quite straightforward even though it is also quite difficult. June 19, 2020: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, Image: Christ Crowned with Thorns by Hieronymus Bosch. Do you spend time regularly offering them to God in prayer? He was the new kid in school. This topical nine-session Bible study contains tips and encouragement to live a life of generosity and fruitfulness, helping us to redeem our use of resources by nurturing biblical attitudes. Who Is Our Enemy? Many Jewish groups in the first-century A.D. called for hatred of the enemies of Israel. You remember when Abraham Lincoln was running for president of the United States, there was a man who ran all around the country talking about Lincoln. Spiders, love your enemies. In preparation for this homily I re-read Joseph’s history, going back as far as Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Esau, Leah and Rachel—what tales of treachery and deceit! No matter what I did, nothing changed his attitude. In the children’s book entitled, "I’ll Fix Anthony," the younger brother complains about the way his older brother Anthony treats him: "My brother Anthony can read books now, but he won’t read any books to me. If you're like me, you might have wished you had just scrolled past this short article. Think about those whom you have a very difficult time loving. So now we're to love those whom we find it natural to hate? Saul had already tried to kill David several times. 29 Mar 2019. 35 But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you… – Matthew 5 (Before moving on to the reflection below, spend some quiet time with the scripture verse above…) Lord, sometimes it’s difficult enough to love my neighbor (and I often fail in that) June 16, 2020 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Matthew 5:43-44. Keep loving them. Today's Simple Word video talks about the misunderstood distinction between the God of the Old and New Testament, and what Jesus means by loving your enemy. The moment you choose your friends, their enemies become your own enemies. In my life I've found it probably the most difficult thing to do as a Christian. How easy is it to love someone you’re mad at? Kingdom Value: Love Your Enemies. It’s so basic to me because it is a part of my basic philosophical and theological orientation: the whole idea of love, the whole philosophy of love. Luke 6:27-28. Produced by The High Calling, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible That Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership, Best of Daily Reflections: Paying Back Your Enemies, Conflict at Work (1-Hour Small Group Study), Bringing Our Enemies and Opponents to God (Psalms 4, 6, 7, 17), Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Can you kill an enemy, even in self-defense, and still love him? Thus, even as I promise to do as you say, I'm also asking you to give me the strength to do the impossible. Is there a text more challenging, more piercing, more provoking in… Reflections on the Teachings of Christ – “Love your enemies” Posted by David S. Ingram on July 5, 2013. –Matthew 5:44. Jesus commands us to love our enemies. Hopefully we do not have “enemies” in the sense of those who we have willfully chosen to hate. Used with Permission. If you did not receive an email please check your spam and other folders. Praying for those with whom we have a hard time is key to letting God foster a true love and concern in our hearts toward them. do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." What under heaven is Jesus thinking? God’s love is not selective. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. One way of understanding what Jesus is saying about the need to love your enemy is to think of an iron bar. This is not an easy command from our Lord. I seem to find a lot of wisdom in them. Love your Enemies–a critical reflection. When you consider that by love Jesus meant, “Seek the good of your enemies,” and that by “pray for” he meant, “ask God to help them,” this seems to be beyond human comprehension or capacity. Leviticus 19:9-18 – Love your neighbor. Can you legally execute even a convicted murderer and still love him? The world desperately needs Christians and churches that put unkindness and gossip and judgmentalism and blame to one side in order to seek a better way – the way of Jesus Christ. "Love your enemies. One Minute Reflection - 18 June - Tuesday of the Eleventh week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 5:43–48 and the Memorial of Blessed Osanna Andreasi OP (1449-1505) “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”...Matthew 5:44 REFLECTION - "You have often heard it said that we… Love your enemies In today’s first reading, King Saul has been stalking David, his rival, who has been hiding in the desert. / Reflections, Sermons; Homily from February 24 2019 by Jo Connelly. The kind of love Jesus is talking about is not about emotions or sentimentality. Published by The High Calling, June 3, 2008. First, He calls us to love our enemies. God's blessings! Morning Reflection Take a couple of minutes to breathe, slowly and deeply. How easy it would have been for people to hate the sometimes brutal and always demanding Romans. Leave a comment. I don't fancy being challenged like this. But God has chosen to use prayer as a means of bringing about His will, and it is through prayer that people can be changed. By Mark D. Roberts. 3068 Words 13 Pages. What under heaven is Jesus thinking? “Love your enemies,” now an often-heard line, was unheard of before the time of Jesus. President Dallin H. Oaks, “Love your Enemies” Conference Session: Saturday Morning. May I live this day according to your Word, for your glory, and by your strength. 00:00. He pours it out upon all people, even his worst enemies. It is in keeping with this Gospel passage to honestly admit that there is at least someone, or perhaps more than one person, with whom you struggle, either externally or internally. First, He calls us to love our enemies. “Love Your Enemies” Luke 6:27-38. Amen. Love for Enemies 27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Reflections on the Teachings of Christ – “Love your enemies ... Jesus teaches His disciples and us to love our enemies, and to do good to those who hate us. Definition: 1: the quality or state of being mindful. Don’t Wait to Accomplish the Greatest Act! Amen. Just keep being friendly to that person. Spiders, love your enemies. You should not suggest in any way that The High Calling or Theology of Work endorses you or your use of the work. The instant you change the way you regard them, they morph before your eyes. Novena dates:June 10-18, 2020 The Arthur C. Clarke Award is the most prestigious science fiction award in the UK. –Matthew 5:44-45. These psalms can be... Every resource on our site was made possible through the financial support of people like you. This proves we are God's children (Mt 5:45), because only those who have a share in God's nature (2 Pt 1:4) have the power to love their enemies. Do you pray that God pours forth His grace and mercy upon them? Maybe it was his name, Robin. It was unique and innovative. Author: Charlie Hadjiev February 4, 2018 0 Comments. May 1, 2013. Luke 6:27-28. Jeff Haymond. But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you, and persecute you; Exodus 23:4,5 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again… People are very resistant to praying for those they have categorized as their opponent. Print ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ Seventh Sunday of the Year A. Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time . Those toward whom you have anger. You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. God has commisioned us to work and create, to develop the resources he has given us and share with those in need. In this reading Jesus presents us with a stern challenge: to love our enemies and endure without retaliating when evil is done to us. They are still your … Loving your enemies is an important part of what it means to be Christian, but it is very difficult. May I live this day according to your Word, for your glory, and by your strength. In this way, Jesus said, his followers would be imitating God's own astounding graciousness. Jesus acknowledges that His audience has been told before to hate their enemies. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” -Matthew 5:43-45 Jesus, I trust in You. One Bread, One Body - Reflection for March 15, 2014 RAIN LOVE ON YOUR ENEMIES "My command to you is: love your enemies." Pray for those who persecute you!". "But I say, love your enemies! 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