Loving our Enemies

Luke’s version of the Beatitudes and another section of the Sermon on the Plain were the last two Sundays’ lectionary readings. We find here paradox and tough words to live by, starting with seeing ourselves as blessed when we’re poor, hungry, mourning and persecuted. Unlike Matthew’s Beatitudes, Luke tacks on the woes for those who are rich, full, laughing and well-liked that their situation will soon change.

But then come the instructions to love our enemies, to turn the other cheek, to give without expecting anything in return, and to forgive without promise of being forgiven. Other things are mentioned, but the gist seems to be that we aren’t to expect good times and that our response is to overwhelm with kindness and love. We are to surprise with grace and perhaps in so doing to shame the ones who want to hurt us. We are to show what we’re made of, the love and power of God.

I can imagine the crowd gathered on that plain, the majority of whom were likely peasants suffering the oppression of the Roman army, taxed within an inch of their lives and struggling to survive. And then, there would have been the rich ones - maybe some tax collectors - along with perhaps some Roman officials and Jewish authorities keeping tabs on this latest Messiah prospect. Both groups probably were waiting for Jesus to identify the other as being in the right, as more important. But the closest He comes is to list those blessed and those who should be expecting woes.

Instead Jesus challenges each person in that crowd to identify their own motivations and response to those they view as their enemy. It wasn’t about sides; who would win and who wouldn’t. It was about control of self, owning peaceful reactions and having dignity and claiming the identity as someone mattering to God. The result was a deep challenge to love, choosing grace and mercy and not avoiding or backing down from the perceived enemy. The warped systems at play were not the individual in front of them.

Last weekend with the clearing out of protestors from Ottawa after three weeks, I found myself wondering if I were in Ottawa, would I have been able to love those I encountered? Would I have turned the other cheek, given whatever I had when requested, and been ready to lock eyes instead of rushing past? I’m not sure. Then I found inspiration as the Olympics wound down and amidst some scandal and concern, there were also many bright moments of supposed enemies standing shoulder to shoulder, of self-sacrifice for the other, of selflessness.

We have heard a lot about Canada being a divided nation because of the handling of Covid 19, with concerns that those fractures in communities and families will take much time to heal. Luke 6 asks us to go the extra mile, to outdo each other in generosity and forgiveness, to look each other in the eye. That is likely what it will take to mend things. That, and perhaps some limits on social media conspiracy theories.

Being Luke 6 people - that is the challenge. As we all take time to decompress and reflect on what happened in our nation’s capital, the call is loud to take to heart Jesus’ direction here. May we be examples of grace and willingness to dialogue, to meet the needs of the other and to show extravagant love.