Loving Our Enemies: An Absolute Demand for the Survival of Our Civilization
March 15, 2025 - Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Matthew 5:43-48
It started as a simple quarrel over a backyard piggery. Gabriel’s neighbor, Rodrigo, complained about the smell and repeatedly asked him to relocate it. But Gabriel refused. One Sunday morning, as Gabriel left his house, Rodrigo followed him—holding a piece of iron. One blow from behind was enough. Gabriel never regained consciousness, and Rodrigo was charged with murder.
Hatred, when left unchecked, leads to destruction. Jesus’ command to “love your enemies” is not just an idealistic dream—it is a necessity for healing our hearts and our world. As Martin Luther King Jr. powerfully stated in his 1957 sermon Loving Your Enemies: “Far from being the pious injunction of a utopian dreamer, this command is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization.” Inspired by his sermon, let us consider five reasons why we are called to love our enemies.
1. Theological Reason: To Imitate God
Jesus tells us that God “is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (Luke 6:35). Loving our enemies is a sign that we are children of God, for our Father’s love is not selective. He causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both the good and the bad (Matthew 5:45). If we wish to be like him, we too must love beyond our natural inclinations.
2. Christological Reason: To Follow Jesus’ Example
On the night of his arrest, Jesus told Peter, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). Yet he chose not to retaliate. Instead, as he hung on the cross, he prayed for his enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). To love our enemies is to walk in the footsteps of Christ himself.
3. Political Reason: To Break the Cycle of Hatred
Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “Hate for hate only intensifies the existence of hate and evil in the universe.” History has shown that violence breeds more violence, and wars rarely lead to true peace. The only way to end the cycle of destruction is through love. Dialogue and non-violence have proven to be more powerful than war in building a better, safer world.
4. Redemptive Reason: Love Has the Power to Transform
A Chinese Christian woman once shared her testimony. Her husband was unfaithful and abusive, and for years, she lived in pain. After becoming a Christian, she chose to pray for him and, instead of suspicion, began to trust him. It was not easy, she admitted, but slowly, something changed. He spent more time at home, his words softened, and his anger faded. On their wedding anniversary, they attended a prayer meeting together. That night, he decided to change his life and became a Christian.
Love may not change a person’s appearance, but it has the power to transform their heart.
5. Medical Reason: Hatred Destroys, Love Heals
Hatred is toxic—not only spiritually, but physically. It leads to stress, headaches, heart disease, and even emotional breakdowns. When we hate, we cannot think clearly. Small annoyances become unbearable, and we begin to see enemies everywhere. Love, on the other hand, promotes health, peace, and psychological balance. Choosing love is choosing life.
The Only Way Forward
"Love your enemies" is easy to say but difficult to practice. Yet, is there any other way to break the cycle of hatred and violence? Perhaps it is time to take Jesus’ command seriously and begin building a different kind of world—one where love begets love and where enemies can become friends.
----
This reflection was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s sermon Loving Your Enemies, delivered on November 17, 1957.