Love Your Enemies? Ugh, OK

Like many Southern towns, there’s a road in my city where you pass several churches in just a few blocks, one after the other. I was driving down this road the other day when I noticed that each church had the same banner: “Love Your Neighbor.” Then I started noticing the banner in front of churches all over town. It turns out that about 30 churches collaborate every year on the weekend following Valentine’s Day to preach on love of neighbor. I love seeing ecumenical efforts like this.

Of course, the liturgical readings also lend to this effort. That particular weekend was the Beatitudes, and this past weekend was about loving your enemies.

What a hard reading but necessary reading in the current climate. There is so much hurt and anger. But the truth is that we can’t let the times and circumstances change us. We are called to love.

What does love of enemies look like? It does not mean tolerating injustice. But it can mean swallowing our pride, holding back reactionary words, carrying heavy burdens. Those who curse or injure us are children of God, and even if they can’t see that, we should. God loves them, so we should love them, even when their actions are wrong and harmful. Every individual in front of us should be treated with compassion, and yes, forgiveness.

There is an inner strength that comes turning the other cheek. In doing so, we are expressing Christ’s light in a dark world. It may feel like others don’t see that light, but we are called to do so anyway. Christ did not say that loving your enemies would make them love you back or would make them change their ways. Love anyway. Pray anyway. Wish your enemies well anyway. Christ says to lend without expecting it to be paid back. You give because Christ asks you to, not because it will change your enemies. We should be so rooted in Christ that the evil around us does not uproot us, does not change who we are. We should not meet hate with hate nor anger with anger.

I needed to see those banners last week. I needed the Gospel reading this weekend. It's a hard lesson for me because I want consequences and change. I want those who do harm to stop and to acknowledge the pain they’ve caused and to be given consequences. But whether that happens or not, I should conduct myself the same way, as the best reflection of Christ I can be. Our virtues should be strong enough to endure regardless of worldly circumstance. Being kind, generous, peaceful, and merciful are always necessary. It takes practice and growth—and often failure.

What love and mercy do I want God to offer me? That is what I am called to give others. Not because it will change them (though perhaps it will), but because it will change me. This is what Christ has asked of us, so it is what I should want to do.

Take the time to step away from the chaos and find a way to reorient in Christ’s love. It’s good to be reminded (over and over) and redirected. When we fail, we turn again and ask forgiveness. And that same forgiveness should be extended to others—neighbors and enemies included.