How Do We Love Our Enemies?

In the Gospel of Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust." This is likely one of the hardest teachings of Jesus to follow. Directly after this command, Jesus lets His followers know that it will not be an easy task, but that His followers must love their enemies, because even the pagans and tax collectors love those who love their brothers and those who love them.

In the Old Testament, the word translated into "hate" in the passage here means to love less. It is a hyperbole. In the Old Testament, it was assumed to be right to hate those who were evil. Jesus changes all of this with this teaching. He tells us that we must love all people and pray for even those who persecute us. This is a very difficult command given to us by Our Lord. How do we go about loving those who hate us? How do we love those who persecute us?

We all have unpleasant people in our lives that we must get along with. Co-workers, extended family members and neighbors. It can be difficult to deal with these people, but what do we do when the unpleasantness turns to hatred or worse? Can we really love those who hate us just as the Lord commands? Yes, we can.

St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei, reminds us that, "The way to love has a name: it is sacrifice." Jesus loved each one of us so much that he sacrificed His life so that we would have Eternal Life. When we think of the great sacrifice that God Himself made for us, can we not make small sacrifices throughout our day for Him? St. Josemaria also has another quote that I love. He says, "What respect, veneration, and affection we should feel for every single soul when we realize that God loves it as His very own." How true this statement is! When we see the Creator in each and every human being we come into contact with, it transforms our lives.