We probably heard THE most challenging words of Jesus to us today as we live out his commandments:
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you.” Mt. 5:43-48
Loving one’s enemies more often than not includes forgiving our enemies. We remember these notable examples of that:
- Pope John Paul II who pardoned the man who tried to assassinate him.
- Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years in prison, 18 of them doing hard labor, for opposing apartheid. He forgave his captors in an effort to unite South Africa. When he became President of that country in 1994, he famously invited his former white prison guards to his inauguration.
More recently, two weeks ago, my Dominican Congregation participated in a livestream presentation called: “The Death Penalty: Hope is an Action Word”. In keeping with our Church’s stance against the death penalty, we heard an unsettling report about the rising number of death warrants being issue in our country and state.
We were also introduced to a Catholic couple from Tallahassee who, after a long inward journey, forgave the murderer of their 19-year-old daughter. In sharing their story, they told of engaging in a process called ‘restorative justice’ which allows victims to speak to perpetrators about the impact of a crime, while giving perpetrators the chance to take accountability, offer an explanation and address the harm they caused. [1] The whole process focuses on relationships and reconciliation which helps the healing process. It also has been shown to reduce recidivism. Said Kate, the mother: “I'm a sane human today because of it.
We may not have someone in prison whom we need to love and forgive, but there may be someone in our daily lives whom we have a difficult time loving…a family member, coworker, or neighbor. If someone comes to mind, do we pray for them, as Jesus instructs us to do? Praying for them can, over time, foster concern in our true hearts for them. Prayer allows us to no longer hold on to feelings of anger or hate. It won’t happen overnight, but slowly God can change our hearts and free us from that burden of anger.
This may be a challenging and uncomfortable way to live, but it is the way Jesus lived and died for all people. He continues to invite us to follow in his holy way and live each day loving and forgiving.
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you.” Mt. 5:43-48
