Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
(I Kings 21:17-29; Matthew 5:43-48)
Enemy love is a hallmark of Christianity. As an old hymn says, “They will know we are
Christians by our love.” But what
constitutes enemy love? What does Jesus
mean when he insinuates that our love must resemble that of our heavenly
Father?
Loving like God loves not mean acceptance of another’s sinful
behavior. God is tolerant as Jesus
implies when he says that He sends rain and shine on both bad and good. But God has sent Jesus to call sinners to
reform, not to keep sinning. This should
be characteristic of Christian love as well.
Christians should help enemies to change immoral ways by example if
nothing else.
We may find it difficult to treat kindly those who show no
interest in reciprocating. But surely
Jesus does not ask too much by requiring it.
We have, as St. Paul famously says, his example of dying for us “while
we were still sinners.” Furthermore, we
have the Holy Spirit to inspire and strengthen us to love truly.
