The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friend,

Today we are reminded once again that we are bound to love our fellow men _ even our enemies. The Judeans and the Samaritans were very hostile toward one another. The Judeans avoided all dealings with the Samaritans and refused them every act of charity: they even went so far as to think that a good act done to a Samaritan was displeasing to God. This uncharitableness exasperated the Samaritans and they in their turn refused them their love and returned evil for evil. We therefore see that when Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem the Samaritans refused to receive Him in their city because they recognized Him as a Judean; therefore the disciples James and John became so angry that they desired Jesus to command fire to come down from heaven to consume them. (St. Luke 9: 52-53)

By placing before us the good Samaritan, today's Gospel teaches us that we must love our enemies. We must love our enemies principally because God commands it. In the book of Numbers (35: 20, 21) we read: "If through hatred any one push a man, or fling anything at him with ill design; or being his enemy, strike him with his hand, and he die, the striker shall be guilty of murder." In Proverbs (25; 21, 22): "If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap hot coals on his head; and the Lord will reward thee." In Ecclesiasticus (28; 1, 2): "He that seeketh to revenge himself, shall find vengeance from the Lord; and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance. Forgive thy neighbor if he hath hurt thee, and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest."

In the New Law, Christ says: "You have heard that it hath been said: Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy; but I say to you: Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you." (Matt. 5: 43, 44) Christ makes the forgiveness of our sins depend on the fulfilling of this commandment: "If you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences; but if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your sins." (Matt. 6: 14, 15) Again, Christ declares that unless we love our enemies, no prayer, no sacrifice, no good work, pleases God: "If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother; and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift." (Matt 5: 23, 24) Finally, as may be seen from the parable of the unmerciful servant, those who refuse to be reconciled with their neighbors and show themselves inimical to them, must expect a severe judgment and eternal damnation.

Above and beyond all this we have the most perfect and complete example of our Lord Himself. He was falsely accused and brought before evil judges; He was mocked and scorned; scourged and spit upon; and finally crucified between two criminals, and still He prayed for His persecutors: "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23: 34)

Next, we must mention the examples of so many saints who have born testimony to this love of enemies that we are commanded by God to have. St. Paul writes of the first Christians: "We are reviled, and we bless; we are persecuted, and we suffer it; we are blasphemed, and we entreat." (I Cor. 4: 12, 13) St. Stephen, who was stoned to death, fell upon his knees and prayed: "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." (Acts 7: 59). St. James the Apostle did the same. When he was cast down from the pinnacle of the temple, the last effort of his remaining strength was a prayer imploring pardon for his murderers. During the bloody persecution which Maximinian inflicted on the Christians, St. Sabinus, bishop of Aris, was tortured by the governor Venustianus. His two hands had already been cut off, when his tormentor was seized with an awful pain in his eyes, and suffered terribly. The holy martyr went to him and began to pray over him. He had scarcely finished his prayer when the governor was relieved of his pains. These proofs and many more which could be listed give testimony of the necessity of forgiving our enemies.

Let us make the resolution to fulfill this important law of the love of enemies. Reflect that without it there is no forgiveness of sin, no grace, no salvation. If we live in enmity with any of our fellow-men, let us give it up this very moment, forgive our enemies from our hearts and at the first opportunity extend to them the hand of reconciliation. Even though we may be sometimes offended, and wrong may be done to us, let us give no place to anger on that account; suppress all hatred and rancor, and act as Christians whose revenge is to suffer, to forgive, and to return good for evil.

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