Tuesday, June 16th, 2020

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” One of the most distinguishing commandments Christians strive to live - we still struggle in the face of what could be described as the silliness of it. Love your enemies? Only a fool, an unwise idiot, would do that. Yet that is not what Jesus is saying. He is not saying: be unwise, be naive. But he is saying: love everyone, truly and universally. There is a simple reason why: we are made for love. This commandment is not extraordinary: it is perfectly normal. It is our reaction to it which is problematic. The moments when we have not loved our neighbour show how far we have fallen from who we truly are, and from true freedom. For if I was truly free, I would love them, regardless of what they do. Not approve - but certainly love. For that is what God is like: and what he made us as - in his image. Let us repent of our hatreds, and beg God to make us quickly like him - not hating anyone, and loving everyone.