In 1996, nine Cistercian monks were martyred in a Tibhirine village in Algeria. These monks, who were the only Christians in the area, had always lived in harmony with their muslim neighbors, attending to them with love and care, before they were kidnapped and killed. During their beatification in 2018, one of the many Imams who were present was interviewed and he said: “What means most to us Muslims is that you Christians never blamed us for the deaths.” The exemplary lives of these monks, which has been adapted into the movie “Of Gods and Men”, gives us an example of how to understand the radicality of Christ’s teaching in today’s gospel reading: ‘love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…” Truth be told, taking a second blow to the face sounds contrary to everything human. This, of course, is not what our Lord is suggesting; that we become defenseless in the face of abuse or injustice.
Back in the old covenant, people lived by the law of tit-for-tat, an eye for an eye; a return for an equal measure of violence. This law of violence, which begets more violence, is what Christ is trying to correct. Christ does not only correct this old law, He shows us a new way to live. The Christian way of ‘loving without measure’ even those who does not understand the love we have all received in Christ. Jesus addresses this teaching to His disciples, indeed all His followers especially who bear the name of Christian. While we may not be facing physical attacks for believing in Christ, many daily face verbal attacks, discrimination, rejection, and other social injustices. It is to such that Christ brings this gospel of peace, an invitation to daily martyrdom; by letting go daily, little by little, the inclination to avenge ourselves, but rather choosing love and trusting in the infinite goodness of God.
What informs this new law of ‘love without measure’ is the fact that we all bear the image of our creator- 1Cor. 15.49. This does not make it any easier, but the one whose image we bear is a life-giving spirit and He is able to transform, by His grace, our manner of life to conform to the demands of this new law. We see this in the example of David. When David, who has been a great warrior-king, fighting all his enemies, came upon Saul he did not even allow his aid to strike Saul on his behalf, for he saw in Saul ‘the anointed one of God.’ David showed mercy to Saul because he saw in him the imprint of his Creator. This is the imprint we are called to see in everyone, even in the most hardened unbelievers, those who do not live in love with others. We are called to love them and be merciful to them just like our heavenly Father.
Fr. Martin