Love your enemies

Luke 6:27-36

27 ‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. ³⁰Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you. ³²‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

For this homily I’d like to pose a question: how can we bless those who curse us?

Maybe we think we have the right to curse.  What about that driver who just cut us off?   What about that person who hurt us deeply.

Maybe we were abused as a child or as an adult. How do we do what Jesus has asked us to do?

Henri Nouwen has this to say:

When we have been deeply hurt by another person, it is
nearly impossible not to have hostile thoughts, feelings of
anger or hatred, and even a desire to take revenge. All of
this often happens spontaneously, without much inner
control. We simply find ourselves brooding about what we
are going to say or do to pay back the person who has hurt
us. To choose blessings instead of curses in such a
situation asks for an enormous leap of faith. It calls for
a willingness to go beyond all our urges to get even and to
choose a life-giving response.

Sometimes this seems impossible. Still, whenever we move
beyond our wounded selves and claim our God-given selves, we
give life not just to ourselves but also to the ones who
have offended us. *

''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Jesus has given us a challenge to bless.  Can we ask God for the grace to do this? 
 

This site & Its contents, Copyright © 2004-2007 BC Redd & 2007- Fr. Marcis Heckman for the Reformed Catholic Church. All Rights Reserved.

DISCLAIMER: The unauthorized use of the Reformed Catholic Church is a violation of copyright & trademark laws, Federal Trademark #77377344. No art or print can be used without permission of the Vicariate of Communications. Only those individuals or communities included on this website are officially recognized as validly ordained clergy , lay leadership or authorized member parishes of the Reformed Catholic Church.