By Francis Gayang csc –
Readings: Deut 26: 16-19; Mt 5: 43-48
Why am I commanded to love my enemy and pray for those who persecute me? Jesus understands our difficulty to love and behave like nothing has happened against me. However, Jesus also knows this is the most important way to express my love for him. “If you can’t love your neighbor whom you can see, how can you love God whom you can’t see?”
It is my responsibility to recognize the evils, name it and then offer it to God in prayer so that he can take care of it. God wants me to do good and never pay evil for an evil, bless instead of curse, praise instead of criticizing, help instead of standing aside, love instead of being indifferent, forgive instead of resentment and tell the truth instead of lying. Jesus Christ is the totality of God’s love. His commandment is that I should not lose my goodness just because others are against me. Augustine would say, “Love and do what you will.” True love cares and abides by the desire for the wellbeing of others. The ability to love without limit is the criteria of being a true Christian.
Love is a positive energy that can motivate a person to give away his or her selfishness and be available for and ready to be touched. Forgiveness and praying for one’s own enemy are the qualities of the soul. St. Paul says, “Love is the greatest of all.” As a messenger of love, I am given the power to destroy my enemy by the weapon of love.