A Meditation on a Prescription for Spiritual Health

But I say unto you which hear, "Love your enemies (echthrous - those who are hostile to you)..."        Lk. 6:27

These powerful words were spoken by the Iesous during the Sermon on the Mount.  They are an intrinsic part of the fabric of this healing message. To those who were privy to this great event the Iesous addressed them in compassionate and authoritative power.

In Luke's record of this great message the Iesous spoke to those that "...hear."  'Hear' in this context means perception with the 'ear' of the mind.  There is a poignancy and urgency to the term hear as if he is preparing the auditor for an unexpected and difficult message.

Next the Iesous says "Love your enemies."  Imagine the number of people in the audience who were stunned by these words.  Imagine those who were at war with their neighbors and relatives.  Imagine saying these words to those who were smarting from the brutalities of the Pax Romana (the peace ? of Rome) of Roman occupation of their country.

These were difficult words to hear with the ear of the mind.  Love (agapate) is a Greek noun of action and is placed at the beginning of the sentence to emphasis its imperative nature.  Hate is emotional brutality to oneself immediately and to others.

We have powerful excuses for our hate-walls.  It is our reaction to an offense whether real or the result of hate training.  But the reaction carries with it substantive damage to the body.  Cortisol eats away at our organs and compromises us internally.  It also erodes our emotional life and ability to love.

When we hate we paradoxically are not punishing the object of our rancor we are wounding ourselves.  The premise of hate is false but at the time it 'feels' right - hate is irrational.  It is the sanctification of madness.

Love your enemies is a prescription to release yourself from the internal poison of hate.  Iesous is the consummate Epidemiologist.   He is here addressing a pandemic sin against oneself and others.

Please meditate on his words and don't allow your heart to become stone-like by holding on to hate.  Love your enemies is a prescription for spiritual health.

How does one love someone who is hostile?  Decide to be a proactive sower of positive regard for others.  Look closely at your life and if necessary do some careful thinking.  Reversing negative and nonproductive hate thinking behavior will provide a more satisfying life.

For more information about Dr. Rich or his ministry, please visit his website.