But I say to you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

And to him that smites thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that takes away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asks of thee; and of him that takes away thy goods ask them not again.

And as you would that men should do to you, do also to them likewise. For if you love them which love you, what thank have you? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what have you? for sinners also do even the same.

And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what have you? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.

Be therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal it shall be measured to you again.[1]

In times of monstrous discord such as these; in times of injustice and slander such as these; in time of war and outrage such as these; in times of insanity and wickedness such as these, the necessity to love our enemies is perhaps the most pressing and important for a Christian.

It is difficult to forgive those who destroy others, but we have to refrain from hatred, calumny, and evil thoughts. We have been trained by television, by law, by history to lash out at the wicked, but when we do we become the wicked ourselves.

It is a great paradox but a simple truth; we become what and who we hate. But if we love, we become like God for God is Love. God loves even the devil, and that is the pain of both God and the devil, for the devil is without repentance and change, and God is without repentance and change. The love of God burns the devil, and the hatred of the devil towards God, inflames the devil from within himself.

We must love our enemies. This is not a suggestion but a commandment. It is the same commandment as loving our neighbor and it is the same commandment as loving God, for God made our enemies, and God did not make evil. A man makes himself evil by hating his enemies. A man makes himself like God, by loving his enemies. “…forgive, and you shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

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[1] Luke 6:27-38