One of the greatest challenges in Christ's teaching is to love those who hate and harm us. This passage of scripture about forgiving wrongdoers and loving our enemies must rank among the most demanding ever preached by Jesus. Forgiving our enemies is not easy. Not to retaliate goes against the human grain and requires great strength and discipline of character.
The gospel reveals the ugly side of human nature and shows us up for what we are - people who are full of petty jealousies, hatreds and spites. A personal remark or a cutting word from a neighbor automatically sparks off a row and revenge is sought immediately. We trade insult for injury and end up out of sorts, nursing hatreds, harboring grudges and not speaking. Life is full of people with chips on their shoulders because they didn’t get the job, were not invited to a wedding or were omitted from a vote of thanks. They carry the scars for years, refusing to let wounds heal until scores are evened out. There is never any shortage of excuses for such behavior. The world we live in has raised vengeance to the level of virtue and pours scorn on the weakling who doesn't seek retaliation but allows his wife and children to be insulted. Christ rejects this law of revenge and insists on his followers repaying evil with kindness. He warns against giving in to bitterness and being obsessed with feelings of vindictiveness. Hatred never cures any situation. When we grow to hate someone we give that person power and control over us, which eats into our heart and destroys our peace of mind. Jesus tells us that such attitudes are not in line with his teachings. People who behave in such a manner have not even begun to appreciate what Christianity is about.
Christ's message is one of forgiveness, pardon and generosity urging us to love others irrespective of whether or not we loved in return. This gospel points to the necessity of having a forgiving heart as a basic essential for loving our enemies. A good take-away thought this morning is: do we pray for those responsible for causing suffering, inflicting hardship and bringing unhappiness into our lives? When we offer pardon and show forgiveness we rise to the level of Christ. The challenge is to decide whether hatred or love is the main motivating factor in our lives. Love of a neighbor is always the distinguishing mark of a Christian.
We now turn to God the Father for the help needed to
follow the example of Jesus who tells us that we are to love our enemies.
1. For the leaders of the church, that they may give witness to their people in the ways of pardon, love and forgiveness and so reflect God's holiness in the world. Lord, hear us.
2. That those who are angry and bitter with their neighbors may realize that giving into feelings of resentment and hatred only separates them from God. Lord, hear us.
3. Let us pray for families who are divided and torn apart because of rows. May they discover their former closeness and warmth. Lord, hear us.
4. That the sick may attain the peace of mind which grows from appreciating their special role in joining Christ in his suffering. Lord, hear us.
5. We pray for the dead. May they share in the peace and happiness of God's kingdom. Lord, hear us.
God our Father, you know what is good for us. Rid our hearts of bitterness and bless our efforts to love all people. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.