Dear brothers and sisters, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
Swimmers know that it is easier to swim along with the flow of the water (river) than to swim countering the flow of the water (river). Hence, swimming against the current is difficult and energy-sapping. One has to spend more of one’s energy going against the current or the flow of the water. It is most probable that the expression “go with the flow” that so many people advocate for relates to the fact that going against the flow is not easy. A similar analogy would be climbing a hill and descending a hill. No doubt, it is easier to descend a hill than to climb one. One puts more energy climbing than descending a hill.
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus Christ gives a teaching that could be referred to as a challenge to swim counter-current, to go against the flow. He says, “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, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.”
Make a More Conscious Effort to Love
It is easier and a natural order of things to love someone who loves you. It is like swimming along with the flow of the river where little or no energy is required to accomplish the task. It is still ok and amounts to doing something. However, there isn’t much committed to it. There isn’t much sacrifice to it. But when Jesus Christ challenges us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, he asks us to make more sacrifices, put more energy, make a more conscious effort to love and go beyond emotion to a decision to love.
He is asking us to swim counter-current and go against the flow. He is requesting us not to let the wrong done to us obstruct our future relationships with individuals, even if they have done us wrong. To swim counter-current in the spiritual realm is honestly difficult and daunting. To succeed, we need the power that comes from above. We can get that power through prayer and an aspiration to be godly and Christlike.
Loving Unconditionally to Imitate of Our Lord and God
The reason Jesus Christ challenged us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us is that he wants us to be like his heavenly Father, whom he said: “makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” We will not truly love as Jesus Christ wants if we start profiling everyone before showing our love. In reality, there are those whose attitudes and way of life might discourage anyone from showing them love. Such individuals exist. You may have tried to find a reason to love such people and came off short.
The truth is, love, as Jesus Christ teaches, is a gratuitous gift given unconditionally to people. Love is not given to someone because he or she is good, lovable, kind, virtuous, handsome, beautiful, or possesses any other exterior or interior qualities. Instead, love is given to people because it is a gracious act God requires of us; He who is love. We learn from St. John that to show love to any is to show God to them (1 Jn. 4:8). To love people unconditionally is to imitate God, who loves unconditionally, and Jesus Christ, who in his unconditional love became poor that we might be rich. He died for us, that we might be saved.
Always remember that Jesus loves you!
Thank you for this reflection today, Father Sylvanus. It is well worth remembering this commandment to love our enemies, because indeed it is not something we can do on our own! I needed to hear this today. Sometimes it can be discouraging when our acts of love seem to “come up short,” but as you said, God’s love is a free gift given to all, and so too with the love we extend to everyone else around us. I trust that every act of love, when grounded in the Lord’s love for us, bears fruit one day. God bless.
Thank you! To love in the manner the Lord desires and wants is a great challenge. Not easy for anyone. But with Him on our side, we shall be conquerors.
This is tough love in a sense because we are doing something that is not natural.
Sure Rita, it is never easy, but the Lord God will see us through.
Thank you Fr.
True love is unconditional.
This requires an honest and continuous effort.
Thank you too Sr. God bless you.