June 19, 2018

Gospel: Mt 5:43-48
You have heard, that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you: love your enemies; and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good; and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.
If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? As for you, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Reflections
Love your enemies; and pray for those who persecute you.
Love is not only an emotion, but also a decision that involves free will and is carried out by words and actions. Jesus doesn’t command us to like everyone. We cannot program our hearts to like everyone. In fact we are entitled to dislike people who do us wrong. It is thus natural to like our friends and to dislike our enemies.
However, Jesus commands to love our enemies. This means I may dislike someone for having betrayed me, but I can choose to love the person by owning my anger yet treating him or her with respect and compassion.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018