My one enemy

While writing this reflection, uncomfortable and overwhelmed with the idea that many may read it, I do what comes most naturally to me: panic, diving into biblical commentaries, thinking on every word, or rather overthinking. Once this passes I move to stage two. Reread and simply write what flows through my mind. Flowing through my mind is Kant. My juniors recently finished the unit on Kant so I find it fitting that in the Old Testament reading Moses tells us, “your God, commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.” Further, the Psalm says, “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!” Finally, in Matthew’s Gospel we are told, “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” For Kant moral action is strictly one’s duty. There is little room to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

In the immediate verse prior to Jesus’ command it says we have heard, “hate your enemy,” referring to the Old Testament. As the biblical footnote points out there is no Old Testament command to hate your enemies. Yet, is this not where our intuition takes us? It’s the basis of “us” and “them.” We are here and they are there. The rhetoric used by many Christians, “love the person and hate the sin,” pushes us in the direction of “hate your enemies.” Casual use of the word hate makes it easy for the idea to be pervasive in our lives, so why not hate our enemies? It can help to define us and keep us safe. It’s culturally acceptable.

What Jesus is asking us goes against what is safe and culturally acceptable. Jesus was speaking against, “a negative view that would confine our love in a narrow ethnocentric framework.” The speaking out was necessary due to the interpretation of the word “neighbor” in Leviticus 19:18 as “fellow countrymen.” Jesus’ words are relevant then and today, socially and individually.

This should be easy, right? “I love my neighbor, why can’t everyone else do the same,” is most likely what we all think. “I get along with most everyone, and in the least I can be nice to them, they can be nice to me,” another thought most all of us have at some point. Honestly, who has enemies? Truth is we do have enemies. Sometimes we might not even realize that we think of someone as an enemy. Sometimes we might be someone else’s enemy and not even know. And, it’s not so much the person but what they do. Little things. Didn’t go right on red. Forgets to turn off their phone in a movie. Talks through the entire movie. Takes too long in line when I’m in a hurry. But, something feels off about this. Enemies seems too strong of a word. We’re not combatants. In order for us to have an enemy there should be some egregious offense towards us, right? These minor annoyances don’t seem to fit the level of enemy. Despite these minor annoyances Jesus calls us to “love our enemies.” Simple enough. But what about instances of shootings, road rage, sexism, racism, domestic violence, etc. these are egregious offenses yet we are called by Jesus to “love our enemies.”

As a parent and teacher, this reality is exceedingly difficult to navigate. Explaining how the world works and how it should work. Answering the questions of why would anyone kill another person or bring harm to them intentionally. I cannot pretend or comprehend what goes through the mind of people that bring unspeakable harm to others. Even my best reason isn’t good enough because it’s rational and their reasons are irrational. So, I guess my most honest answer is that I am my own enemy. I struggle. I can be irrational. Figuring out how to have more confidence in myself. Figuring out how to shake the pulsating feeling that people are nice to me because they have to be. Figuring out what bias that I unknowingly, and far worse, knowingly apply to my interactions. All of these are real and I’m guessing no different than anyone who commits unspeakable acts. I do not have enemies. I have one enemy, me. My task is to provide opportunities for my daughters and students where they can habituate the virtues. To show them that it’s okay to be who you are and not to get caught up in the “us and them” society pulls us towards. To help them cultivate good healthy relationships so sorrow doesn’t turn to despair.

I think what it means, for me at least, to “love your enemies,” starts with accepting God’s forgiveness and forgiving myself. Acknowledging my faults for what they are and asking for God’s grace to overcome. Jesus in his humanity empathizes with us and I need to trust in his grace so I can empathize with others. So I can “love my enemies.”

Author: Jude Harrington, Theology Department