Thursday 16 September
Luke 6:27-38 • St John Chrysostom (Memorial)
Jesus was once asked by an expert in the law, ‘Who is my neighbour?’ (Luke 10:29). Today we would like to ask you, ‘Who is your enemy?’ Because once we have identified who our enemy is, we are invited to love them, do good to them and pray for them. The Golden Rule is not as one young boy thought, ‘Do one unto others before they do one to you’, but ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’
So back to the question before us, ‘Who is my enemy?’ Now most of us don’t like to think that we have enemies or that we treat people especially badly. True, there will be certain people in our lives whom we can’t stand or we might admit to despising, but we don’t do the maths and connect those individuals with being our enemy. Yet these are the very people whom, if we profess to be Christian, we are called to love, forgive and pray for.
How do you respond to this teaching? It is relatively easy to say, ‘Of course I agree with this teaching – it is the right way to live.’ However, knowing how we should live and living in that way are two completely different things. One way in which we might respond is by throwing up our hands in despair and crying out to God: ‘Your teaching on loving my enemy is impossible – I don’t even like them, let alone love them!’ This admission, which could be called an ‘admission of grace’, is where the Holy Spirit wants us to be.
Overwhelmed by his inability to overcome his sin Paul cried out to God: ‘Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?’ (Rom. 7:24). No sooner had he asked this question than he answered himself: ‘Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!’ (Rom. 7:25). We cannot love our enemy but the Spirit living in us can. It is when we turn to the Lord, knowing how impossible his teaching is to put into practice, that we discover that what is impossible for us is possible with God.
Lord, teach me to love those people in my life that I struggle with and who in many ways are my enemy. Help me to pray for them and do good to them, and so be set free from hate and resentment which so easily fester in my heart.
1 Corinthians 8:1-7, 11-13
Psalm 138(139):1-3, 13-14, 23-24 • Luke 6:27-38
Daily Reflections
Subscribe to Bible Alive today, and read Daily Reflections wherever you are!
Can't find a book?
Fill out our enquiry form to register interest in a particular Catholic/ Christian book.
Holy Cross Parcels
Make a difference by making a donation and buying a Holy Cross Parcel. Click here
Twitter and Facebook
Pope Francis Special Bumper Edition of Faith Today
Click here to read Joanna Moorhead's blog from the Conclave and the Inauguration
Free Faith Pack
FREE Faith Pack
worth over £30/€50!!
with every new subscription to
Bible Alive or Faith Today.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Faith Today Trial Subscription
Try out Faith Today for three months free of charge. Many began receiving Faith Today this way and have been with us for years.
Trial Bible Alive Subscription
Try out Bible Alive for three months free of charge. Many began receiving Bible Alive this way and have been with us for years.
Give it a go today!
Walk With Me
Walk with Me is a prayer and scripture journey for the seasons of Advent, Lent and Easter.
Alive Design – Wedding Stationery
Catholic Today Newspaper
Catholic Today is the newspaper for the Archdiocese of Birmingham with the latest Birmingham Catholic news and videocasts.
Christian Publications
Bible Alive - Subscription
Latest Catholic Articles
Daily Reflections
Bible Alive daily reflections are written in an accessible and warm style inviting you to penetrate and plumb the depths of the scripture reading of the day.
Latest Daily Bible ReflectionFree Catalogue
