love your enemies

I was sharing my realization to a friend last week. I realized that I am full of anger at that moment. I’m angry with the chaotic situation of the youth in my apostolate, I’m angry to the unprofessional system of our school, I’m angry with arrogant and insecure professors, I’m angry with people who are self-righteous who think they never commit mistakes or does not possessing any imperfection in their being, I’m angry with insensitive, judgmental, indifferent, and backstabber who smile at you but talk about so many negative things when you are not around and I just want to get a grenade and throw it to them to eliminate my anger.
But I was put back and moved to question when I read the Gospel of today. Jesus is not just telling but commanding me “LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU, BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU, PRAY FOR THOSE WHO MISTREAT YOU.” This moved me to have a discussion with my God for I feel that what Jesus is asking is too much or to hard for me to fulfill. I keep on reading the text again and again hoping that some words will change but even a single word was not moved or eliminated the command of Jesus is very clear.
No words might have change but what happened is my prospective about the Gospel change. “LOVE YOUR ENIMIES, DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU, BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU, PRAY FOR THOSE WHO MISTREAT YOU.” Does not mean that you will not do anything but to pray for them, instead Jesus is challenging me to go beyond the words of loving. If you really love someone you have to do something to them to help them to change and be a better person. Share your blessing to those who curse you by correcting them and pray for them that they might find strength to amend their ways and Jesus is reminding me to do it out of my love for them.
The Gospel for the past days has one theme and that is going beyond what is ordinary. Jesus is challenging us to do more, to go deeper, and to transcend to what is ordinary. Loving those who are lovable does not stretch our capacity of loving. If we are able to love those who are not lovable we gain credits for we gain growth and deepening to our personhood and of being a Christian.
But the second realization of mine in our Gospel for today is the concept of being merciful. God is asking me to “LOVE YOUR ENIMIES, DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU, BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU, PRAY FOR THOSE WHO MISTREAT YOU” in the name of mercy. Jesus asked me to stop judging others for in reality the things or the people I hate and judge is a reflection of who I am. I’m angry with me for being in chaotic situation to the youth in my apostolate, I’m angry to my unprofessional ways of dealing with others, I’m angry with myself for being so arrogant and insecure, I’m angry with myself for being self-righteous who think I never commit mistakes or does not possessing any imperfection in my being, I’m angry with my insensitive, judgmental, indifferent, and backstabber attitude. I must be merciful and understanding to others for God himself is very merciful and understanding in my short coming. Jesus is just teaching us of what Christy is all about.
Our Gospel for today in challenging each and every one of us to take the challenge of being a Christians by loving unconditionally even our own enemies or those who are unlovable. This is what we should pray to Christ as we continue our Eucharistic celebration let us pray and beg that he may grant us the strength to take the challenges of going beyond our self.