Prologue in Sermons: December 27

 

Why We Should Love our Enemies and Pray For Them

December 27
 
(Commemoration of the Holy Apostle and Protomartyr Archdeacon Stephen)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

We must love our enemies and pray for them.

Why is this so? First of all, because the Lord gave us a commandment to love them. He says, "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who revile you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

Secondly, we must love our enemies according to the commandment of the Holy Apostle Paul, who teaches: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not, and render to no one evil for evil, thinking what is good in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men... If therefore your enemy hungers, give him food; if he thirsts, give him drink... Do not be overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:14–21).

Thirdly, we must love our enemies because love for them is the main condition for the Lord to forgive us and not remember our sins at His Judgment. "If you," we hear from Him, "forgive men their sins, then your Heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their sins, then your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14-15).

Fourthly, and finally, this is why we must love our enemies, because if the Lord did not command us to love them, we would live on earth as if in hell; for it is impossible to stop and suppress evil with evil, and evil can be stopped and suppressed only by good.

Now let us consider why we should pray for our enemies. We should pray for them following the example of the Lord Himself and His saints. During His suffering on the Cross, the Lord said to His Father, "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do." And the Holy Archdeacon Stephen, while being stoned, also cried out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:59-60). Thus, both the Lord and His saints teach us to love our enemies and to pray for them. Let us remember God's commandment to love our enemies and His promise of forgiveness to ourselves for forgiving them. Let us not be conquered by evil, but rather conquer evil with good. At the same time, we will also, of course, pray for our enemies and ask the Lord that He Himself, with His Divine grace, soften their hearts and establish in them, instead of malice and vengeance, peace and love for us; so that all, both we and they, may be one in Christ. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.