In today’s Gospel is Jesus’ most difficult and challenging teaching. It was difficult in the 1st century, and it is difficult in our time, especially today as we remember the terrorist attack of our enemies on 9/11. Jesus’ words are especially difficult to hear on this day:
“To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
First, we remember and pray for all of those who lost their lives or continue to bear the scars of this terrible and cowardly terrorist attack. We pray also for their families as they continue to bear the pain of this terrible day. We pray for their healing and that God may give them a sense of peace.
The challenge of Jesus calls us to follow the way of love and not the way of hate. This challenge is very difficult at any time but especially today. The paths to true and lasting healing only comes from love not from hate. Dwelling on hate only consumes us and destroys us. Paul threefold exhortation in today’s first reading shows us the path to Christian healing and life:
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- “Put on, as God’s chosen ones…compassion, kindness, humility…over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.
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- let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one Body.
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- And be thankful.
Forgiveness is not a switch that we can simply turn on. Sometimes forgiveness, especially undeserved forgiveness, can take a lifetime. Why should we forgive? Because God has undeservedly forgiven each one of us. In today’s first reading Paul calls us to forgive: “if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.”
Still Jesus’ teaching to “love your enemies” is difficult to hear any day but especially today. I think of the famous saying of Chesterton son:
“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” (C.K. Chesterton, What’s Wrong with the World)
We pray today for the healing of our nation.
Image: “Jesus Christ teaching on mountain” by Sealino is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.