The Hardest Part
Today’s Gospel, I believe, brings many of us to the most difficult part of Jesus’ teaching; at least I know it is for me. Jesus says “Love your enemies, do good to those who hurt you, bless those who curse you…” He tells us to turn the other cheek! It is easier for us to avoid sexual immorality than to avoid hating someone who has hurt us, but that is what He is calling us to do. It is easier for us to make tremendous sacrifices for the needs of others than to avoid lashing out at someone who has hurt us or our families, but that is what He is calling us to do. Following Jesus means fighting off the hatred that is in the world-and destroying it-by beginning with the anger that is in our hearts and souls. Jesus says that we must be compassionate as our Heavenly Father is compassionate. We need to be concerned with the needs of others by being charitable, sympathetic and forgiving. Just as we are dependent on His care, we need to offer the same to others and especially to those who are the most difficult for us to love. By holding grudges we are allowing God’s love and mercy to be limited-who gives us the right to do that? Who gives us the right to add to the sum total of hatred in the world? By returning anger and hatred with anger and hatred, all we are doing is becoming like the ones to whom our anger and hatred is aimed and we only hurt ourselves. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We are called by the Father to participate in the transformation of the world into the Kingdom of God and our major opportunity to do so is by changing ourselves with His grace. This may be the hardest part of Jesus teaching, but it also is the best part. It enables us to live and to die in His love.