The fictional Klingon language from Star Trek has no words for love. Of course, the Klingons were creatures of pure logic, not emotion. So, the closest words for “love” in their language were “honor” or “unhate.”
That would be easy for us if we could define love simply as “unhating” others.
But God doesn’t let us define “love.” God doesn’t even let us decide who is worthy of our love. Listen to Jesus’ words from the Bible (in our Gospel) passage today:
For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them.1
That is unconditional love. Here are some examples to flesh this out in real life.
Regarding “from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back,” and lending money to those from whom you expect no repayment:
Phil Robertson, the star of the reality TV show Duck Dynasty, says that he once had a problem with people stealing fish from the nets he had placed along the river. At first, he patrolled the river in an attempt to stop them. But then he read the passage in Romans 12 that says to give your enemy food and drink, and to overcome evil with good. And Robertson decided he would no longer protect his fish nets.
Instead, the next time he caught someone trying to steal his fish, he pulled up the net and poured the fish into the man’s boat. Then he told the man to invite his family over for a fish fry. And he told the man that he would gladly give him more fish whenever he needed it. After a few more times of giving away fish to would-be thieves, Robertson discovered something: he was losing fewer and fewer fish. The more he offered to give away free fish, the less anyone wanted to steal from him. 2
Jesus is asking us today not so much as “how can I find a gracious God? But “How can I find God in my enemy?” And, how can we be children of God in real life without loving our enemies? 3
Regarding, love your enemies and do good to them: In our First Reading, David did not “get even” with Saul, even though Saul was trying to kill him. Saul was doing evil because he refused to accept David as his successor even when the prophet Samuel had made that clear. In the meantime, David knew that Saul was still the anointed King and David reasoned that if the Lord does not remove him, David would not either. Here is a historical example:
George Wallace served as governor of Alabama from 1962-1987. In that time, he was known for his support of racist “Jim Crow” laws and his opposition to integration and equality for Black citizens. In 1972, George Wallace was shot and paralyzed in a failed assassination attempt. He was taken by surprise when he received a visit in the hospital from Shirley Chisholm, the first Black Congresswoman. Wallace was a staunch opponent of Chisholm’s. He asked her what “her people” would say about her visiting him in the hospital.
Chisholm replied, “I know what they’re going to say. But I wouldn’t want what happened to you to happen to anyone.” Her words brought George Wallace to tears.
A couple of years later, Shirley Chisholm was fighting for minimum wage for domestic workers, George Wallace approached his colleagues and advocated for her legislation. It passed.4
Notice that when Jesus gives some examples of how to love our enemy’s forgiveness isn't one of them. He says do good to them, bless them, pray for them, offer the other cheek, give food and water to them, let them take from you, do not ask for restitution. But he doesn’t say "forgive.” Why not? The answer may be because the mistreatment and violence are still going on.
Consequently, you can also love your enemy while assertively standing up for personal rights, including protecting yourself and others, and expressing thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in direct, honest, and appropriate ways.
The word nonviolent is an adjective, it modifies how we resist being treated unjustly by others. It does not mean being a push-over but rather seeking justice in the most peaceful way possible, as Desmond Tutu said, a justice-seeking people is more dangerous to a tyrant than an arms-bearing one. {source unknown}
Part of our testimony should be “I’m grateful for my fans, friends and my enemies for they are all a part of my testimony.”
Concluding illustration:
Sister Mary Lou Kownacki relates the following tale:
It seems that in a certain village a snake had bitten so many people that few dared to go into the fields. Finally, it was taken to a wise person who tamed the snake and persuaded it to practice the discipline of nonviolence. When the villagers discovered the snake was harmless, they took to hurling stones at it and dragging it by its tail. Finally, the badly battered and disillusioned snake crawled to the wise one and complained bitterly.
"You've stopped frightening people," the wise one said, "and that's bad." The snake was incredulous. "But it was you who taught me to practice the discipline of nonviolence."
"Oh," said the wise one, "I told you to stop hurting people, not stop hissing."
The Point: authentic nonviolence does not harm but it does know when to hiss. 5
1. King Duncan, By D Grace of God, Sermons. Com
2. “Oscar Mayer Heir Explains Why He Gave Away All His Money at Age 26” by Abigail Druhot, The Heights, March 1, 2017 cited in King Duncan, By D Grace of God, Sermons. Com. For story about Oscar Mayer: https://www.bcheights.com/2017/03/01/collins-talks-giving-away-wealth-working-societal-inequality/
3. Walter Wink, "We Have Met the Enemy," Sojourners (November 1984), pg. 15 cited by Vernon J. Jahnke, Love Your Enemies: The Value of New Perspectives, Currents in Theology and Mission, Jun 1988, pg. 267
4. George Raveling and Michael Lombardi, “We Need to Know the Shirley Chisholms,” The Daily Coach, Oct 28, 2020, cited in King Duncan, By D Grace of God, Sermons. Com
5. Julie Driscoll, SCN, Gospel Nonviolence in a Violent World, Resolutions to Action, LCWR Global Concerns Committee, Volume 14, Number 2
