The Gospel chosen for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time deals with a theme that can be misinterpreted. What exactly does “loving your enemies” consist of?

Newsroom (21/02/2022 13:00, Gaudium Press): “Love your enemies.” How beautiful, yet how harsh are these words of Our Lord, collected for this Sunday’s Gospel. Especially at times when our sense of justice is assaulted, whether by words of insult and disrespect toward us, or the scorn, envy, persecution and slander received through no fault of our own. However, someone may ask: “So, is this really how I should act? Cross my arms and love the one I see making a mistake?” Let us look at the liturgy and we will have the answer.

Love your enemies

“Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who slander you” (Lk 6:27-28).

We must first understand the circumstances. The Hebrew people had been formed according to the idea that love for one’s neighbor should be lavished only on those of their own race, because, according to them, salvation was not destined to the other nations, but only to Abraham’s descendants. Let’s remember that mere physical contact with these people made them impure, requiring purification to be carried out in order to be freed from this contamination.

One can see that, even among the Jews themselves, the rules of conduct were rigid, since they were governed by the Talian penalty: “In a society without police and courts of justice, the custom of blood vengeance constituted an effective means of preserving social order and security. This law remained in Israel for a long time. However, through Moses, Hebrew legislation gradually imposed certain limitations, in order to avoid the abuses into which a private justice could degenerate,”[1] such as the introduction of the distinction between voluntary and involuntary homicide, or the creation of cities of refuge for murderers not yet declared guilty.[2]

For this reason, the concepts of charity and forgiveness for the Hebrew mentality were well distorted from the fullness God intended. Proof of this is contained in the Gospel passage in which St. Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother?” Up to seven times?” (Mt 18:21) – as one who thought it was too much to have to forgive up to seven times. Then Jesus turned to him and answered, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22) – the equivalent of always.

Jesus wanted in this way to point out to them what we would later understand as Christian charity – the fruit of the Redeemer’s Precious Blood -, unknown to them until then: that charity overflowing with love for God and neighbor, aimed at their sanctification and eternal salvation; and that entirely detached from self, as the Savior indicates to us:

“If you love only those who love you, what reward will you have? Even sinners love those who love them” (Luke 6:32).

And also in the responsorial psalm, God’s love is shown :

“The Lord is forgiving, he is favorable, he is kind and compassionate. He does not treat us as our faults require, nor punish us in proportion to our faults” (Ps. 102(103), 8. 10).

Now, it must be understood that these verses apply in a particular way to our personal enemies. Those who, as I said at the beginning, speak insulting words to us, slander us, envy us, and persecute us. To them, we must make an effort to help them with prayers and even, if possible, with good works, so that they change their behavior and live only for the Lord and not for their own selfishness. It is on this aspect that the love for our enemies is understood, the turning the other cheek to receive a new slap (Cf. Lk 6:29).

Tolerate the insults done to God?

However, in no way could we understand this passage of the Gospel as a condemnation of the duty to protect the rights of religion, morals, and the law when these are attacked, or even a prohibition of self-defense. For as St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, tolerating personal insults is convenient to the good of our neighbor and to our sanctification; but it could consist in error and even in vice to allow insults directed against God: “For it is commendable to give what is one’s own, and not that of others. Much less should what is God’s be neglected. As Chrysostom says, ‘It is too impious to conceal the insults done to God.'”[3]

St. Bernard makes it very clear about our attitude toward one who proclaims himself to be God’s enemy: “Just as you must not love yourself except because you love God, so you must love as yourself all those who love God, just as you love Him. Well, as our enemy – who is nothing of himself – does not love God, we who love God cannot love him as ourselves. However, we must love him in order that he loves; and it is clear that to love him because he loves is not the same as to love him in order that he loves. Therefore, we should love him not for what he is – since in himself he is nothing – but for what he might become later (should he be converted).”[4]

By Guilherme Motta

[1] TUYA, OP, Manuel de; SALGUERO, OP, José. Introduction to the Bible. Madrid: BAC, 1967, v. II, p. 334.

[2] Cf. idem.

[3] SÃO TOMÁS DE AQUINO, Summa Theologica. II-II, q. 188, a. 3, ad 1.

[4] SÃO BERNARDO. Sermons on the Song of Songs. Sermon L. In: Collected Works. Madrid: BAC, 1955, v. II, p. 338.