Love Your Enemies; And Pray For Those Who Persecute You

"You have heard, that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy.  But this I tell you: love your enemies; and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your FATHER in Heaven.  For HE makes HIS sun rise on both the wicked and the good; and HE gives rain to both the just and the unjust.

If you love those who love you, what is special about that?  Do not even tax collectors do as much?  And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that?  Do not even the pagans do as much?  As for you, be perfect, as your heavenly FATHER is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48 

(Love your neighbor.  Here we come to the last of the opposites between the Old Law and the New.  The Old Testament spoke of loving a neighbor and this was a matter of solidarity among the members of the people of GOD.  With the Gospel the word "love" is not only given a wider dimension: it introduces us into a world totally different.  Solidarity within the group is supported by an instinct inscribed in nature.  This love however does not cross the frontiers that separate social groups: these only exist and find their identity in opposing others.

Do not do good to your enemy.  The text is not found in the Scriptures as it stands but its equivalent is in several places [Deuteronomy 7:2].  Referring to enemies of the nation rather than to personal enemies, we are asked to be wary of them, not to help them and even to exterminate them, rather than share their errors.  If in many countries today it is understood that there is no frontier for love, it must be recognized that this ideal is a fruit of the Gospel: JESUS has enlightened our minds by asking us to model the love of our neighbor on the universal love of GOD the FATHER.  We have only to open a newspaper to see that this love of neighbor, whatever it be, and even if it comes from a social, national or religious group, in enmity with ours, remains incomprehensible to the majority, even in Christian countries.  When we realize that there is a place for everyone in the present world and that GOD directs everything for the benefit of all, we see things as GOD does and are perfect as the FATHER is perfect.

Love your enemies: Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; Romans 12:20; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; Romans 12:14; Ephesians 5:1.)

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