VOICE OF THE LOGOS (8): REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR THE SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

WHY LOVE THOSE WHO HATE ME? WHEN FORGIVENESS FEELS IMPOSSIBLE

First Reading: 1 Samuel 26:2,7-9,11-13,22-23
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 102(103):1-4,8,10,12-13
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:45-49
Gospel: Luke 6:27-38
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History has witnessed some of the most painful acts of hatred and betrayal. One of the most well-known real-life stories that mirrors this struggle is the story of Nelson Mandela and the South African apartheid regime. Mandela, a man who suffered 27 years of imprisonment at the hands of a system built on racial hatred and oppression, had every reason to hate his enemies. He was subjected to humiliation, isolation, and cruelty, yet when he emerged from prison, he did not seek revenge. Instead, he chose forgiveness, a decision that shocked many. His act of forgiving those who persecuted him was not a sign of weakness but of strength; a strength that transformed a nation and disarmed those who once saw him as their enemy. This real-life example forces us to reflect on the nature of hatred, the power of forgiveness, and the difficulty of loving those who wish us harm as depicted in this Sunday’s readings.

It is very human and logical to ask, “Why Love Those Who Hate Me?” This is because the concept of hate is a deeply ingrained human experience. The Greek word for hatred, μῖσος (misos), signifies deep hostility, aversion, or detestation toward someone or something. Hatred is not limited to open enemies; it can emerge from the closest relationships: family, friends, and even significant others. Betrayal by someone deeply trusted often leads to the most intense form of hatred. Many biblical figures experienced this kind of pain: Joseph was hated and sold by his own brothers, David was pursued by Saul who once loved him, and Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of His own Apostles. The reality is that those who hate us may not always be distant enemies but people once close to us who, through betrayal, jealousy, or misunderstanding, become enemies.

The concept of enemies is extensively addressed in Sacred Scripture. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word “אוֹיֵב” (oyev) is the most common term for enemy, often referring to national foes or those who oppose an individual. Another word, “צָר” (tzar), means “adversary” or “oppressor,” reflecting the pain inflicted by an enemy. The New Testament uses the Greek term “ἐχθρός” (echthros), meaning an enemy in both a personal and spiritual sense. The biblical understanding of enemies is not just about those who harm us physically or emotionally but also those who stand in opposition to God’s righteousness. However, beneath all enmity lies a deeper adversary: Satan. In 1 Peter 5:8, Satan is called “the adversary” (ἀντίδικος – antidikos), prowling like a lion seeking to devour. Every conflict, every betrayal, and every hatred ultimately has its roots in the greater war between good and evil, between God’s will and Satan’s deception. Those who hate us are not just operating from personal malice; they are, knowingly or unknowingly, influenced by forces greater than themselves. This explains why we must pray for them, love them, and help liberate them from these greater forces. This attitude of choosing mercy over vengeance is impossible by human effort alone, but through the grace of God, it becomes a supernatural act of love that breaks the cycle of hatred and transforms both the victim and the offender.

The First Reading (1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23) gives us a powerful example of what it means to choose mercy over vengeance. King Saul, who was once a father figure and mentor to David, had turned against him out of jealousy and insecurity. Saul actively pursued David to kill him, yet when David had the perfect opportunity to take Saul’s life, he refused. Instead of repaying evil with evil, David chose to trust in God’s justice rather than take matters into his own hands. He recognized that Saul, despite his actions, was still God’s anointed, and vengeance was not his to take. This moment in David’s life foreshadows the radical love and forgiveness that Jesus would later teach. The Hebrew concept of divine justice (צדקה – tzedakah) in this passage is key – David understood that righteousness is not about returning harm but about trusting in God’s judgement. This is difficult in practice because our natural instinct is to retaliate, yet David’s act demonstrates that true strength lies in choosing mercy.

This theme continues in the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13), which describes God as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” The psalmist declares that God does not treat us according to our sins but removes our transgressions as far as the East is from the West. This passage is a direct reflection of how we are called to treat our enemies. If God does not hold our offences against us, then we too must release the debts we feel others owe us. The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (hesed), meaning “steadfast love” or “covenantal mercy,” is a recurring theme here, showing that God’s love is not conditional on our worthiness but is given freely. This is the same love we are commanded to extend to those who wrong us.

Jesus intensifies this call to mercy in the Gospel Reading (Luke 6:27-38). In His Sermon on the Plain, He issues one of the most difficult teachings in Scripture: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” The Greek word ἀγαπάω (agapaō), used for “love” in this passage, is not about emotions but about a deliberate, sacrificial choice to seek the good of the other. Jesus is not asking for sentimentality; He is commanding an act of the will. The phrase “turn the other cheek” (τὴν ἄλλην παρειὰν – tēn allēn pareian) does not mean becoming passive victims but rejecting the cycle of violence. However, to modern ears, this instruction might sound passive, unrealistic, or even dangerous. Does Jesus mean that we should allow ourselves to be abused without defending ourselves? Does He forbid self-defense? In ancient Jewish and Roman society, striking someone on the right cheek was most often done with the back of the hand, which was not just an act of aggression but a gesture of dominance and humiliation. It was how a master would strike a servant, how a Roman soldier might strike a Jewish citizen, or how someone in authority would degrade a subordinate. It was a way of saying, “You are beneath me.” A backhanded slap was not just physical violence; it was a symbolic act of oppression meant to remind someone of their inferior status. By turning the other cheek, the victim does not run away, nor do they retaliate in anger. Instead, they stand firm and disrupt the oppressor’s intention. If the aggressor wishes to strike again, he cannot use the back of his hand anymore. He is now forced to use his fist, which in that culture was an act reserved for fighting between equals. By doing this, the victim forces the oppressor to confront an uncomfortable reality: he cannot continue degrading another person without acknowledging their dignity. The victim is not responding with violence, but neither is he accepting his status as inferior. He is, in essence, demanding to be recognized as a person of worth. This act of turning the other cheek is a strategy that exposes injustice without contributing to the cycle of hate. If the victim retaliates, he simply escalates the situation, making himself no different from the one who first struck him. If he cowers and submits, he allows the oppressor to continue unchecked. But by standing firm and turning the other cheek, he forces the oppressor into a moment of decision—either he will recognize the dignity of the person he is striking or he will be exposed as someone who abuses power unjustly. This is an act of non-violent resistance that preserves the victim’s dignity while challenging the wrongdoing of the oppressor.

Jesus’ teaching is not just about individual relationships but a complete reordering of human nature and society. In a world where retaliation was expected, Jesus commands something unheard of: “Bless those who curse you.” The Greek word εὐλογέω (eulogeō), meaning “to speak well of” or “to bless,” implies actively wishing well upon an enemy, counteracting their hatred with grace. This goes against every human instinct. It feels unfair, even unbearable. But Jesus connects it to the very nature of God: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” We love our enemies not because they deserve it but because God has loved us when we did not deserve it.

This teaching connects with the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15:45-49), where Paul contrasts the first Adam (earthly, corruptible) with the second Adam (Christ, the life-giving spirit). The first Adam was shaped by earthly desires, including vengeance and retaliation, but the last Adam, Jesus, brings life through the Spirit. Just as we were born into the nature of the first Adam, we are now called to take on the nature of Christ. Jesus’ way is not natural to the flesh, it is supernatural, requiring a heart transformed by grace.

Dear friends in Christ, praying for our enemies and doing good to them is not just about changing them, it is about liberating them from the true enemy: Satan. Every grudge we hold, every act of revenge we seek, and every hatred we nurture gives the devil a foothold. Jesus did not say to love our enemies because it is easy, but because it is the only way to break the cycle of evil. When we forgive, we are not excusing sin but removing its power. When we pray for our enemies, we are not validating their actions but calling them into the light of Christ. When we love those who hate us, we imitate God Himself, who loved the world even when it rejected Him. Above all, forgiveness feels impossible because it is impossible – without God. The only way to love an enemy is to understand that they, too, are trapped in the battle of sin, just as we once were. True freedom is not in carrying the weight of hatred but in laying it at the feet of Christ. Those who have wronged us are not the real enemy but sin is. And in forgiving, we defeat the power of the true adversary and embrace the heart of God Himself.

O that today you would listen to his VOICE, harden not your hearts! (Ps. 95:7)

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Shalom!
© Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, OSJ
Seminário Padre Pedro Magnone, São Paulo, Brazil
nozickcjoe@gmail.com / fadacjay@gmail.com

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Have you prayed your rosary today?