Thoughts for the Day

Love for Enemies

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Our television news and social media posts are full of terrible tragedies - youngsters stabbed, people killed by drunk drivers, and racially motivated attacks, to mention just a few. Very many of these are followed by friends and relatives of the deceased vowing vengeance to those who committed the acts that deprived them of their loved ones. Indeed every small slight seems to call forth an attitude of "Hurt me, and I will hurt you twice as hard!"

It was very likely the same when Jesus taught his disciples to "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." It was after all only three years earlier that the Romans had crucified a few hundred zealots along the road from Galilee to Jerusalem. His disciples must have found Jesus' words shocking at the least.

But harbouring bitterness, anger, and vengeance only damages the person who holds it..... as we can see from the story of Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid in South Africa. Upon his release in 1990, he faced a country divided by racial hatred and violence. Instead of seeking revenge on those who imprisoned him and oppressed his people, Mandela advocated for reconciliation. He famously said, “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” Mandela’s commitment to forgiveness was pivotal in fostering national unity during South Africa’s transition to democracy, inspiring countless individuals across the globe to embrace peace over vengeance.

On Day 10 of Lent let us give up harbouring all grievances and negative thoughts about others.

Heavenly Father,
may we learn to be more positive
in our thoughts and our speech,
and not always to look on the negative side
of what we see and hear around us.
Help us to remember that bitterness
and anger hurts us as well as others.
May we look to the example of Your Son
who asked forgiveness for those who killed him.
Amen.