…love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28
Here’s one of those Bible verses that’s easy to remember, sounds simple enough, but is one of the most difficult virtues to live out as a Christian disciple: love your enemies. We think to ourselves, “Yes, I strive to love everyone, even my enemies.” But then when the rubber meets the road and someone is rude, bosses us around, cuts us off in traffic, or is unkind in some way, all that “good Christian attitude” can fly right out the window. Am I alone here? 
What are we to do in real time when faced with an “enemy?” One thing I like to do when I feel anger flying up at me is having a silent Hail Mary at the ready; it’s there in my proverbial back pocket, ready to come out quickly instead of an angry response. That helps me immediately pray for the one who mistreated me.
How can we take that one step further and continue to let go of retribution, retaliation, and revenge so we can live out the kind of radical love that Jesus calls us to in the Gospels? How do we let go of our idea of justice and instead be a person of mercy and love? Spoiler alert: Jesus already told us how to do this. We need to keep praying for them: “pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28). Side note: if you know me, ask me in person about the man I pray for when I drive by his house multiple times every single day. It’s a good story of real-life forgiveness!
St. Teresa of Calcutta said in her Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech: “…my prayer for you is that truth will bring prayer in our homes, and the fruit of prayer will be that we believe that in the poor, it is Christ. And if we really believe, we will begin to love. And if we love, naturally, we will try to do something. First in our own home, our next door neighbor, in the country we live, in the whole world.” Mother Teresa was talking about valuing the life of unborn children. But I think she would agree that we could include in the category of “the poor” those who need love, mercy, and forgiveness the most. In other words, our “enemies.” And where does she say we need to start? Prayer.
Notice how she draws a widening circle of influence. She starts small: in our own homes, and that’s a good place for us to begin practicing radical love and forgiveness. Who is a person who comes to mind who could use a “good measure” of God’s love and forgiveness (Luke 6:38)? Stop now and intentionally pray for that person. It’s okay, I’ll wait…
The next step is to keep coming to a greater love for this person is to commit to one small prayer for him or her each day. Just one Our Father, one Hail Mary, one “Lord, bless ____.” Then pray it relentlessly. Don’t give up. Pray until it’s not as hard to pray it, and then pray it some more.
You can also choose to seek out ways to do something kind for this person, however small it may be. Maybe you could offer a kind word, a small favor, or a thoughtful gift. Whatever you choose to do for him or her, do it with a smile on your face and with love in your heart. Take note of how you feel after you’ve practiced a measure of radical love.
Jesus, loving others like You love them can be difficult. Help me to leave justice up to you and instead imitate You through small acts of radical love.
Forgiving others from the heart can be difficult. Here are some past reflections that might help if you find forgiveness difficult: Choosing to Forgive; The Power of Forgiveness
Inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa’s children’s home in Calcutta:
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God; it was never between you and them anyway.