The ancient Israelites were told 'to love your neighbor,' but Jesus takes it to the nth degree. He says, 'No—love your enemy.' -- Fr Richard Rohr, Daily Bulletin, October 30, 2024
My experience has been that the first change we must make is not in loving our enemy but in losing our resistance to our own take on the word Jesus.
According to me, we have no inner connection with Jesus which is the Jesus we heard preached about as a child. We only have a foul feeling when we hear the word Jesus...an Oh, No...not going there...no way.
Then we let our own idea of loving our enemy take charge, and we come up with exceptions to the rule every time. As in. yeah, but not Nazi Germany, or yeah, but not Bull Connor; and yeah, but not etc., et al.
I admit, getting over the very word Jesus is still my mountain to climb...it's more a hill now, but it's still for me to climb. My tried-and-true Big Book comes to my aid: We must try with a will or fall by the wayside.
My inner goal is that I welcome Jesus into my head and heart as a friend who is only in it to win it for my benefit...and my benefit is always and forever for others. (And I get carried along on the wings of the Dove...face it, I love my spiritual fantasies.)
Thank you.
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