Sunday Reflections

“By God’s Grace, We Can Love Our Enemies”

Part of the Charism Statement for the Congregation of the Resurrection reads: “We believe that God’s love for us is merciful and unfailing. We have not earned his love. We are nothing, have nothing, and can do nothing without God. We are attracted to evil. We are sinners. Yet, God continues to draw us to himself.”

This section of the Charism Statement provides a motivation for us to love our enemies. We are sinners, yet God has loved us. We are sinners, yet God has forgiven us. We are called to give to others the love and forgiveness that we have FREELY received from God. Further, we are called to give this love and forgiveness even to those who are unworthy and undeserving of our love and forgiveness: those who have hurt us, those who have made our lives difficult, those who have been a “thorn in our side.” Although we are unworthy, God loves us and forgives us. What has been received freely should be given freely.

There are other reasons for us to love our enemies. Perhaps none is more appropriate than noting that when we love our enemies, we are imitating Jesus. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34). This can be, of course, difficult and we need God’s grace within us to help us to love and forgive as God loves and forgives. It can be difficult to forgive, but the first step is to pray for the desire to forgive. This is how God’s grace can build upon our human desires. As another sentence of the Charism Statement puts it, “The power of the Spirit forms Christ in us, and moves us to respond with love to the Father’s great love for us.” Praying for the desire to love and forgive is the opening for God’s grace to work within us, helping us to become more like Christ.