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June 17, 2014

The Old Testament and New Testament are very different. For the Jews, they were allowed to exact punishment on those who harmed them. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” “Stone the adulterer and the murderer.” And many other such laws are found in the Book of Leviticus. But the gospel says otherwise, “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.” A bit shocking but Jesus said this. Shocking because it is humanly impossible to fulfill this word. The natural reaction of people who are unjustly treated or simply offended by others is to fight back, to retaliate. So why does Jesus give us such a hard “rule” to follow?

The answer to this question is that Jesus wants us to be happy. He knows that if we forgive our enemies, we will be happy. Why?

Because our hearts were created to love others. And the highest form of love is to forgive the faults of others. So how do we do this? Let us start with people in our families. Love them, forgive the small and big slights we receive from them every day. It is also easier to forgive those who sin against us out of ignorance or stupidity and not out of malice. We must ask God to expand our hearts’ capacity to love. We should also meditate on our own sins and on how much God has forgiven us. Then we might find it easier to forgive. But towards those who maliciously persecute us, Jesus invites us to understand them. This means to believe that they are either so scarred in life by previous hurts or so misguided to believe that they are right to mistreat us. We need to be very humble and aware of our own sins in order to excuse such men. Praying for them also helps us to understand them, to love them. With God’s grace we might just start loving our enemies.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 30, Issue 4

<< Tuesday, June 17, 2014 >>

1 Kings 21:17-29
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Psalm 51:3-6, 11, 16

Matthew 5:43-48
Similar Reflections

LORD, HAVE MERCY

"Then the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, 'Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before Me?' " —1 Kings 21:28-29

The Lord is so merciful that, when we even begin to repent, He pours out His merciful love. Ahab was the most wicked man that had ever lived up to that time (1 Kgs 21:25). He had murdered Naboth just for a garden site. He would fit in well with Stalin or Hitler. Nonetheless, when Elijah prophesied the downfall of Ahab and his family, Ahab "tore his garments and put on sackcloth over his bare flesh. He fasted, slept in the sackcloth, and went about subdued" (1 Kgs 21:27). The Lord was pleased with Ahab's humility and fasting. He promised: "Since [Ahab] has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his time" (1 Kgs 21:29).

When one of the criminals crucified next to Jesus stopped blaspheming the Lord and asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus with His dying breath promised the man paradise with Him that day (Lk 23:43).

Jesus died to meet the demands of justice. Now He wants to do nothing but extend mercy to us. Let the Lord give you what you don't deserve: forgiveness, love, and mercy.

Prayer: Jesus, may I not waste Your death on the cross for me (see Gal 2:21).

Promise: "My command to you is: love your enemies, pray for your persecutors. This will prove that you are sons of your heavenly Father, for His sun rises on the bad and the good, He rains on the just and the unjust." —Mt 5:44-45

Praise: Rhonda had an abortion. She repented and turned to Jesus. Now she is happily married with six children.