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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider Love your enemies

Love your enemies

Published Feb 23, 2024 04:10 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

Jesus is aware that many of his listeners have enemies. 
 

Enemies are those who discredit them, violate their rights, and threaten them. They are inconsiderate and have nothing good to say about them. Jesus is consistent on his previous teaching about non-retaliation.


When we allow love to operate, we become creative. We make the impossible possible. It is hard to agree with Jesus on this matter. But because Jesus says so and we believe in his wisdom, we must do it. Christianity is embracing all as our brothers and sisters regardless of race, gender, social status, and religion. We cannot choose whom we love. We cannot survive as Church if we cannot show respect and love to those whom we do not like and those who do not like us in the community. 
Loving friends and enemies alike makes for perfection, mastering of oneself. If we can do it, blessed are we. 
 

First Reading • Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Moses spoke to the people, saying: “This day the Lord, your God, commands you to observe these statutes and decrees. Be careful, then, to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.


Today you are making this agreement with the Lord: he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees, and to hearken to his voice. 


And today the Lord is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep all his commandments, he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the Lord, your God, as he promised.” 
 

Gospel • Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “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, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? 


Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024.” E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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