From enemy to friend

23rd Week in OT, Thursday, September 10, 2009, SMR

From enemy to friend

In one Sunday reading, we heard of the sad episode of disciples deserting Jesus. They chorused – “This is difficult teaching. Who can accept this?”

Today, we hear again of difficult teachings from our Lord. Take for one, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.”
We may ask, “How in the world can I love my enemies? Why should I do good to those who hate me? Or bless those who curse me? Or pray and wish the best for those who treat me badly?” First of all, of course we are called not to have enemies. “Enemy” is not a Christian category. We can choose not to identify people as our enemies. Somebody said that “we have to be close to our friends, but closer to our enemies”. Somebody also said that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Neither however is a Christian attitude. What another wise fellow said would be a more Christian attitude – “The best way to destroy your enemy is to make him a friend.”
We may ask, “But what, Father is they continue to do us bad, if they continue to gossip about us, if they continue to hurt us, if they continue mistreat us, if they continue to curse us, if they continue to make life difficult for us?” If they go overboard, of course we could and should bring them to the law. But retaliation, revenge is not an option. Befriending them may not end their aggression, but neither would revenge do. In fact, the cycle of violence will only grow worse.

Martin Luther King, Jr. put it so well – “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

If we are able to take on the attitude of Christ - love, goodness and prayer for aggressors, we actually triumph over our aggressors. By loving them, being good to them, praying for them, we become freer. We refuse to be enslaved by their aggression; we refuse to be enslaved by violence. We instead assert our freedom to choose our response, and we live up to who we truly are as children of God.

We pray that we may have the clarity of mind, the strength of will, and the openness of heart to respond to aggression with peace, to respond to animosity with love.