Homily For Tuesday Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 20th June, 2023.

Reading: 2Cor 8:1-9; Ps. 146; Matt. 5:43-48

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

IS IT POSIBLE TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE US?

 

Naturally people desires to love and be loved, to relate and be in the company of those whom they love. No body enjoy being among those who detest them and cause them pain and sorrows. That is why people naturally sacrifice for those whom they love in order to keep their friendship and companion. But it takes great love and sacrifice to do good to people who detest us and caused us sorrows and pain since it is difficult and unnatural to sacrifice for such people.

 

This sacrificial life of love is what Jesus calls us to embrace in pursuit of the life of perfection. Little wonder he says in our Gospel passage today: “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. If you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect”. 

 

Here Jesus emphasis that though it is natural and universal for human beings to love those who love them. But what makes his disciples different from other people is the ability to love not just everyone, but to love their enemies and not take vengeance or bear grudges against one another. For by so doing they will be imitating the perfection of God our heavenly Father, who shows equal love to all and calling us to a greater life of sacrificial love and virtue towards perfection.

 

Hence, St Paul in our first reading today says: “It is not an order that I am giving you; I am just testing the genuineness of your love against the keenness of others. Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty”. Such is God’s kindness, mercy, compassion and love for each and every one of us, without exception, even to the worst and most wicked of sinners.

 

Dear friends, is it possible to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us especially in our society today? This is very difficult, it is like a suicide mission. But it is possible for those who have the heart of the Master. It is possible for those who understands the power of God’s grace and love.  Hence, today we are called for a sacrificial life of love and perfection, we are called to choose love over hatred and forgiveness over vengeance. For hatred breeds violence and other things that weakens the human soul, but love unites and heals. The fact is that, God desires peace for humanity and this peace is what Jesus came to bring in the world, to restore the peace that God intended for all creation from the first day of creation.

 

Today all of us are called to offer this peace to the world full of hatred, greed and violence. This instructions we are called to accept and live out day by day in every way we can. Therefore, it’s time for us to stretch out the hands of friendship and peace to everyone both friends and enemies alike, by investing more resources on things that bring about peace and friendship with one another, rather than building nuclear weapon that breeds more violence and hatred in the world. For by so doing the world will become more peaceful and loving.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the cross of sacrificial life of love is so heavy, give us the grace to truly forgive our enemies and strive towards the life of perfection that offers peace, mercy, compassion and love to distressed humanity through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.