Loving Those Who Hate Us

Today’s Gospel stands out as one of God’s most challenging teachings. While loving those who love us can be challenging at times, it is easy compared to loving someone that hates us. It is another level entirely to love those who hate us, but it is what God calls us to. It is easy to respond to those who hate us with anger, resentment, and revenge.

The interesting thing is that the more we try to love those that hate us, we will find our instances of anger, resentment, and revenge decreasing. For example, it is hard to get angry with a bad neighbor if you think of them as a lovable person instead of whatever expletive is now coming to mind. Loving those who hate us is not only good for them, but it is equally good for us.

It is also extremely difficult to do this when we are to expect nothing in return. When we love others due to a great effort on our part, it can be infuriating to not have this love reciprocated, appreciated, or, at the very least, acknowledged.

Again, this is exactly what Christ is calling us to do. It is easy to love others when we believe that we will be rewarded in some way, noticed for our efforts, or thanked for what we have done. When none of these things are present, it is easy to become bitter. However, when we give a gift, do we expect a gift in return? If we do, then it was not really a gift, it was a transaction.

Loving others is a gift offered to them without anything expected in return. Christ’s love for us is a gift that we never could have earned or paid for, and this is the same gift we are called to offer our fellow man.

This week, consider reflecting on love as a gift and how you can give this gift to those who it might be difficult to offer it to.