Love your enemies

Happy Thursday and blessings. 
 
Today I invite you to meditate with great sincerity on what it means to be a Christian person and hate our enemies. The Gospel of Matthews says (5:43-45): “You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven..."
 
It is easy to love those who always treat us nicely.  Even the heathen do that.  The distinctive difference between the true disciples of Jesus and those who simply play church is obvious because of their attitude of loving those who refuse to love them in return.  Most Christians are so immature in this area. 
 
So, what happens when a brother or sister in Jesus says something mean, or hurtful to you?  Certainly, it will produce hurt, or even anger.  Hurt and anger are not, by themselves, wrong.  God’s word tells us to be angry.  Even Jesus got angry when he saw the temple moneychangers.  Anger is a secondary emotion; it is a response to hurt or some other root cause. In my understanding, God allows us to be angry, but He does NOT allow us to sin by hating the person who wronged us. 
 
Several years ago, I read an article about how I have to love the very people I want to hate most: our modern-day Pharisees who preach hate and division in the name of Jesus. I learned; I don't have to love them because Christ told me to. I have to love them because I know exactly what it is to be wrong. I've been a hypocrite. I've been a liar. I've hurt people so badly that it's physically painful to even think about it. I am an enemy of God and I know that despite all of that God still loves me. The Bible, God's own Law, says that I'm free to hate them because they're my enemies but how can I hate them without hating myself. So, I find myself forced to go beyond the law and love them. I want them to be better. I even correct them when I think it will do the most good. But, none of that means that I don't love them. In other words, loving them, I also love myself.
 
You will tell me that it is difficult, and I will tell you that you are right. However, it’s not impossible. If God continues to accept me in spite of all my stupidities and contradictions, why I cannot accept my sister and my brother. Remember, Christianity is a way of living, not a way of thinking.
 
Blessings
 
Fr. Luis +