Love Your Enemies

June 17, 2008
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments and put on sackcloth over his bare flesh. He fasted, slept in the sackcloth, and went about subdued. Then the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his time. I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son.” 1 Kings 21:27-29

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. Matthew 5: 44-45

Piety

Lord God, reading is so easy but doing is so long and so difficult. Help us to put Matthew 5 into practice. Jesus, you set for us an example of dying for the sinner, not only for the just and the good. Then you sent your servants to show us that it can be done. Mary. Peter. Paul. Francis. Benedict. Theresa. Change us so we can change the world. Help us to mirror your example and that of the saints as we work to help all people, friend and foe alike. Amen.

Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/061708.shtml

Elijah speaks truth to power. He knows of King Ahab and Jezebel’s act of treachery and murder. So Elijah spells out exactly what the future will hold.

“Because you have given yourself up to doing evil in the LORD'S sight, I am bringing evil upon you: I will destroy you and will cut off every male in Ahab's line, whether slave or freeman, in Israel. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah, because of how you have provoked me by leading Israel into sin.” 1 Kings 21:20-22

Ahab is condemned because, not only of the murder, but also all of his evil doing. He became completely abominable by following idols, just as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD drove out before the Israelites. (1Kings 21:26) However, it is a future that Ahab wants to avoid so he repents for his latest sin.

The notes to the New American Bible tell us that in the Hebrew Bible, hatred of evil persons is assumed to be right. Once again, Jesus comes along and changes everything. Jesus extends the love commandment beyond just our family and neighbor to the stranger, the enemy and the persecutor. As his sisters and brothers, we must imitate His example and the example of Our Father, who grants his gifts to both the good and the bad.

The vengeful God of 1 Kings is gone. In his place is a loving God. The wrath that the God of 1 Kings saves up for future heirs of Ahab’s line is gone. In its place is a forgiveness that lasts generations. Now, God will not only forgive the repentant sinner, but also those who come after.

Action

Our job: surpass the code of conduct that binds others. In such perfection, we must mirror God in mercy and forgiveness.

Our job is to be like Elijah and not to pull any punches when it comes to warning people away from their sinful ways. That is a job easier said than done. Who wants to be seen as sanctimonious? Who wants to be the bearer of constant warnings about sin? Who wants to be the judge and jury? Such a role does not sound like fun. We might end up being shunned like the neighborhood scold.

Yet time after time, that is what we face. As Ezekiel warns, it is as much our job to warn the sinner as it is to live according to the right relationship with God and our sisters and brothers.

You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself. Ezekiel 33:7-9

What is a warning that you would like to issue to those around you?

What warning are people trying to tell you? How will you react? Will you be defensive or will you accept their warning as Ahab accepted the warning of Elijah?