On The Holy Martyrs
FIFTY-THIRD SERMON
ON LOVING OUR ENEMIES AFTER THE EXAMPLE OF ST. STEPHEN,
Subject.
After the example of St. Stephen we are bound: 1. To bear patiently with our enemies, that is, not to return evil for evil; 2. To love our enemies, that is, to return good for evil. Preached on the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr.
Text.
"And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." (Acts 7:59)
Introduction.
False judgments and deceitful rules and laws of the world, how you are put to shame in these days! How happy that man is who is so rich, who is held in such high esteem, who is so be loved, who leads such a comfortable and pleasant life! Such is your opinion! Christ, the infallible and infinite wisdom, showed us the contrary yesterday by His example. The great Son of God, as a poor little Child, sheltered by a stable against the cold winter weather, places poverty, humiliation, crosses, and sufferings on the throne. The laws of the world say that we must not submit to injustice; we must defend ourselves as well as we can; it is not possible to love those who hate and persecute us; Stephen, a servant of Christ, teaches us the contrary to-day by his example: " Falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." So that we must bear patiently with our enemies? And we must even love our enemies from our hearts? Truly, my dear brethren, the laws of the world say no to this; but the law of Christ and of His servants says expressly yes; this is no work of supererogation, left to our own free choice; it is an obligation, binding under sin, as I shall now show.
Plan of Discourse.
After the example of St. Stephen we are bound to bear patiently with our enemies, that is, not to return evil for evil: the first part. After the example of St. Stephen we are bound to love our enemies, that is, to return good for evil: the second part.
Christ Jesus! I beg of Thee to grant what I have already prayed for in the holy Mass, and which the Church commands us to pray for; grant us, by the intercession of Thy dearest Mother and of our holy guardian angels, such an upright, Christian heart " that we may learn to love our enemies because we celebrate the natal day of him who knew how to pray for his enemies."
I should not be surprised to find that many think this subject a not very useful one; for most people, especially the pious, who try to serve God to the best of their ability, say or think to themselves: I have neither hatred nor enmity towards any one; I have no enemies to trouble me; or, if any one injures me, I do not treat him as an enemy. Would to God, my dear brethren would to God, I say, that this were really the case, that we still lived in the golden age of the primitive Christians, when, as the Acts of the Apostles tell us: " The multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul." Would to God that this sermon of mine concerned not a soul in this congregation, and served for no other purpose but to console the hearts of my hearers in the thought that they are free from all discord, and to encourage them to remain always united with each other in the bonds of charity! But I fear that what I have to say will be a matter of deep concern to only too many. For under the name of enemies who do us harm I understand not only all those who from an inveterate and implacable hatred conspire, as it were, against us, and publicly and privately try to injure us in our honor and property, or plot against our lives, although the name, properly speaking, be longs to those persons, but I mean also all who in any way cause us trouble or annoyance, for instance, those towards whom we have a natural aversion and repugnance, whose manner of acting is disagreeable to us, and with whom we are obliged to have daily intercourse; I mean also those who now and then speak roughly to us, or refuse some request; who excite us to impatience by contradiction, sour looks, disobedience, or who in any other way act contrary to our will, whether the injury done us be great or small. Such enemies we often find among our acquaintances, neighbors, superiors, inferiors, masters, servants; such an enemy is often the husband to the wife, the wife to the husband, the children to the parents, the parents to the children. Injuries of the kind are to be met with everywhere; daily and hourly some one does to us what is displeasing and annoying. And I say that if we have no worse enemies we are bound to love all such people who thus annoy us with every outward mark and inward feeling of sincere love, and with a perfect and beneficent love.
Let us study the example of St. Stephen on this point. The Holy Scriptures tell us of the Jews, when they heard him preach: " Hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at" him." They stopped their ears, fell upon him in a body, hurried him out of the city, and stoned him to death. Is not that a grievous injury? And how did Stephen act? Did he grind his teeth at them? Did he repay revenge for revenge, anger for anger, stoning for stoning? Oh, you will say, how could he think of such a thing? He was alone in the midst of the crowd of Jews, who were all embittered against him; he was a lamb in the midst of so many wolves, and what could he do to defend himself? True. But why should he not have been able to do something? What did not the prophets do in similar circumstances? They asked for help from Heaven and received it. On two occasions in succession Elias was surrounded by a band of fifty soldiers, whom the king of Israel had sent to take him prisoner; what did he do to defend himself against so many? " Let fire come down from heaven, he cried out, filled with zeal for the honor of God, " and consume thee and thy fifty." The Prophet Eliseus was once surrounded by the whole Syrian army; what did he do to defend himself? He prayed to God, saying: "Strike, I beseech Thee, this people with blindness. And the Lord struck them with blindness, according to the word of Eliseus." Why should not the prayer of the first martyr have the same efficacy as that of the prophets? Did he not serve the same almighty God as they? Could he not have found equally valid reasons for demanding vengeance from God, and saving himself from the hands of his enemies? Could he not have been moved to adopt this course by the shame that the cross was to the Jews, by the thought of the weakness of the first Christians, who might have been greatly helped by some visible manifestation of the divine protection, as was the case in the days of the prophets of old? Oh, truly, there are many who would not require such cogent reasons to induce them to take revenge! But, as St. Gregory says, Stephen had a different and a Christian spirit. He was not a disciple of the zealous Elias or Eliseus, but was brought up in the school of the most meek Saviour; " like a disciple of Christ, he prayed for those who were stoning him. " He had learned from Christ to heal the sick, and to command fire, water, and the other elements; but at the same time he had learned not to return evil for evil, to bear injuries with patience, and to be meek and gentle with those who used him despitefully; " like a disciple of Christ, he prayed for those who were stoning him."
Where are ye now, ye vindictive, rancorous Christians, even - and I do not hesitate to say it even you who have the outward appearance of piety? Where are your patience and charity in this respect? No one has as yet made an attack on your persons, no one has gnashed his teeth at you, or taken up stones to throw at you; no one has inflicted a grievous wound on you; but a single sour look, a biting word, a displeasing action is quite enough to inspire you with the desire of revenge. Some one hap pens unwittingly to tread on your corns, to say a disagreeable word in some trifling matter; your servants or children do not run at once when you tell them; and immediately there is an outburst of impatience, anger, rancor, quarrelling, and strife; with Elias, but not with the same holy zeal, you call down fire from heaven, and summon the demons from hell, and your first prayer for your enemies is murmuring, invective, abuse, cursing, swearing. If my honor is attacked I dare not forgive; if I have suffered bodily injury I must have eye for eye, and tooth for same coin!
And if there is question of mine and thine, as St. Chrysostom says, "that cold word mine and thine; " if one's property is attacked, what a noise there is about it, even amongst Christians, even among those who would otherwise be the best of friends, nay, even among brothers and sisters, and that for a trifling sum of money! On account of an insulting word lawsuits are often commenced which in most cases are motived only by the wish to cause harm to others, and are thus the expression of bitterness, hatred, envy, vindictiveness; neither part will yield to the other, because when the passions are inflamed the mind cannot be induced to look calmly at the matter; the suit is often continued so long that both parties are brought to irretrievable ruin; and when nothing more is left the contending parties seek consolation in the thought that the opponent has suffered too. Meanwhile, what evils spring from this spirit of revenge! What various forms of rash judgments, evil thoughts, wicked interpretations, plans of vengeance that are brooded on night and day! How many false testimonies, uncharitable conversations, calumnies, detractions in company are not indulged in by both parties! And what grievous scandal is thus given to a whole street, a whole town, or district! Oftentimes the enmity thus aroused becomes so deep-rooted that it can be healed only by death. What do I say? By death? Nay, it is often left as a legacy to children and children's children. The children and domestics are entertained with frequent accounts of the injury supposed to have been received from such-and-such a person . He, they are told, is a sworn enemy of our family; he is only waiting an opportunity to do us harm; he is the cause of my ruin! Let none of you dare to set foot inside that man's house, or to associate with any of his acquaintances! Thus the poor children, who are like wax, capable of receiving any impression, are from their tenderest years impressed with the same hatred and enmity that is nourished by their parents, and enmity and hatred are made, as it were, immortal, and handed down from generation to generation. Such is the manner in which many treat their enemies the idea they have of forgiving injuries!.
But is that right? Is it Christian, nay, is it human? If such a mode of action were allowable, and every one were at liberty to take revenge, to return evil for evil, injury for injury, harm for harm, what would become of natural, civil, and religious law and order? And if all the laws of nature, of the world, of your own reason cried out to you: You are allowed and commanded to take vengeance on those who have done you harm, yet there is another who tells you quite the contrary, and whose law and will must be preferred to those of the whole world, namely, your God, who is almighty, and the supreme and sovereign Lord. His will is that you must not be angry even with your worst enemy. He says to you, by His apostle Paul: "To no man rendering evil for evil. Not revenging ourselves, my dearly beloved, but giving place unto wrath; for it is written: Revenge to Me; I will repay, saith the Lord." He says to you: " But I say to you: Love your enemies." He says to you: "If one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; " you must not return the blow, but even be ready to bear another patiently. He says to you: " Forgive, if you have aught against any man, that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your sins. But if you will not forgive, neither will your Father that is in heaven forgive you your sins." Now if you do not obey His command He will reject you; if you return evil for evil He will also revenge Himself on you, and that, too, for eternity.
But, you say, this or that person is always troubling me; am I to put up with that? Must I say nothing about it, and let him do as he likes? I am not a stock or a stone. Nevertheless you must listen to what the Almighty tells you: " I say to you: Love your enemies "; you must treat that person with charity, and not return evil for evil. There are lawful means of getting rid of the annoyance without allowing yourself to be influenced by passion or the desire of revenge; but to seek for satisfaction on your own authority is forbidden by the law of God. But the injury is a most grievous one; he has assaulted me in the presence of others, and publicly; he persecutes me contrary to all right and justice, so that I am obliged to show him that I am not a simpleton! No matter! Be the injury public or private, great or small, hear what God says to you: " I say to you: Love your enemies "; in spite of all you must love that enemy of yours. But he is known to be a bad character, a mischievous man; he is not worthy of my forgiveness! Be he good or bad, you must be as God wishes to have you: " I say to you: Love your enemies." If the man is unworthy of your kindness, at all events God deserves that you should obey Him. But if I leave this unavenged he will become worse, and torment me still more! Let him do as he pleases; you are not therefore allowed to revenge yourself. "1 say to you: Love your enemies." Oh, but that is impossible! What will people think of me? They will look on me as a nincompoop, who has not a word to say for himself! They will make a laughing-stock of me! I cannot forgive; my honor and position will not allow it. What! must your honor suffer if you do not take revenge? Not at all, as I have already shown on another occasion. And if any one tells you that it is honorable to seek revenge you may tell him straight out that he has not an honest, Christian heart, nor a sound, Catholic mind and understanding. It is an honor to do what God requires of you. But for the present I will grant that your honor is concerned in taking revenge; and even then, are you excused from the obligation of obeying the Christian law? If God could and did lay commands on you with the obligation of losing goods and property, and even life itself, rather than transgress one of them, has He not also the power of obliging you to sacrifice your honor and the esteem of the world rather than incur His anger? Is He not Lord of your honor as well as of your life? You say: My honor requires me to take revenge. Granted again; but the honor of God requires you to forgive and to obey Him. Is your honor of more account than His? Must you sacrifice the honor of God for the sake of yours? And do you think such an excuse will serve your turn when you stand before the judgment- seat? My honor was concerned in it, you will say; and He will answer: But Mine was concerned also. I was offended first, you will reply; was that a reason for offending Me? He will answer. I have acted like other men of the world, like other men in my position, among whom I was obliged to live. But was that a reason for not Jiving according to My law? I have acted as any man of honor would before the world. But you have acted like a bad and wicked Christian before the eyes of heaven! Have I not forbidden you plainly enough to seek revenge? You should have observed this command of Mine: "I say to you: Love your enemies."
But, dearest Lord, with all Thy exhortations Thou canst do nothing with those in whose hearts rancor and hatred have once taken root! (There are many other customs and usages in the world that Thou hast forbidden, and yet men pay no attention to Thee!) Their honor and property have more influence with them than all Thy entreaties and exhortations. The words Thou hast spoken by the Prophet Jeremias are still true, and are daily verified: " Behold, the word of the Lord is become unto them a reproach, and they will not receive it." I am sure that if any person the woman, the young maiden whom they adore as if she were a goddess, whose least sign they are willing to obey, whose favor they are most anxious to retain if she, a mere mortal though she be, were to ask them to pardon their enemies, and do them no harm, they would at once grant the request; but Thou mayest beg and entreat, and cry out a hundred times: " I say to you: Love your enemies," and they cannot and will not do what Thou commandest; they must have revenge! What a shame on the name of Christian and Catholic! My dear brethren, I do not believe that among those here present there are any who are guilty in this respect, and therefore I go on to the higher degree of charity that God requires from us; that we must, namely, love our enemies, and return good for evil. This we shall see in the
Second Part.
You confess, then, that it is not right to take or seek revenge on him who has injured you; and therefore you are determined not to harm him in any way, nor to show any outward sign of hating him. But is that enough to fulfil completely the divine law? Is that enough for a Christian? If so, then even heathens, Turks, thieves, and robbers, and the most wicked and abandoned of men can be looked on as true Christians so far. Nothing is more common among such people than to hide their feelings, to restrain their wrath, to give each other the hand outwardly, and even to embrace each other, either through worldly politeness, or because they are unable to revenge themselves, or through the hope of some good, or the fear of incurring a greater loss, or through respect for those who are in a high position in the world, or through love of friends who advise them to take that course, or for some other human motive. But is this outward pardon the virtue of charity? Do you by it satisfy the requirements of the gospel? Is that the way in which Christ commanded you to forgive?
Was it in this way alone that St. Stephen showed his love for his enemies who were stoning him? He was not satisfied with merely refraining from returning evil for evil, hatred for hatred; but. according to the teaching of Him whom he publicly confessed, he returned a heartfelt and sincere love for hatred and the evil done him by every benefit it was in his power to confer. He prayed for those who were stoning him: " Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." What better treasure could he bequeath them than his prayer and the ardent desire of their welfare which he sent up to the throne of God? He prayed on bended knees: "Falling on his knees"; he did not do that for himself , so that it seemed as if the salvation of his enemies was a more important matter in his eyes than his own. He prayed for them in a loud voice: " He cried with a loud voice," that the sincerity of his love might not be doubted. He prayed for them to his last breath: "And when he had said this, he fell asleep in. the Lord," that his last sigh might have more influence and efficacy with God. See to what perfection the Christian law binds us! Not only does it forbid all outward attempts at revenge, all hostile actions; not only does it forbid all cursing and detraction with the tongue, but it even prohibits all, even the most secret, movements of the heart in the direction of revenge, and all uncharitable recollections of the injury suffered: "If you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts." And that to such an extent that if the bare remembrance of the injury be accompanied with hatred and anger it is enough to keep us from the altar, from the divine sacrifice. But this is not yet enough; for the same prohibition was given to the Jews: " Seek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens." If you go no farther than merely not hating your enemy, and not seeking revenge on him, you cannot escape the sentence of Christ: "Unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
And what more does Christ require of us? " Love your enemies." Hatred must be turned into love. Into what kind of love? Not an ordinary one, but a perfect, beneficent love, which proves itself by works: "Do good to them that hate you; " and if you have not the means nor the opportunity of doing them good, then you must let your prayers take the place of it: " Pray for them that persecute and calumniate you." Oh, where can I now find a voice and words powerful enough to declaim against the deceitfulness of the world, and to root out of the hearts of men the errors regarding this point that have been so deeply ingrafted in them! Oh, how many there are who indeed seem to be friends outwardly, and yet have their hearts filled with hatred and rancor! Of those David says: " Who speak peace with their neighbor, but evils are in their hearts." How many there are who do no harm to their neighbor because they cannot or dare not, and meanwhile do not lay aside their bitterness and secret desire of revenge! Thus, although they are not murderers in reality, yet they are so in will and desire, which is just as bad almost in the sight of God. Their rancorous feelings show best how their hearts are disposed with regard to Christian charity and the love of their neighbor. I do not envy him any good fortune, they say; but if they hear of some unusual good luck falling to the lot of those whom they should forgive from their hearts they are ready to burst with envy. I do not wish him any harm, they say of their enemy; but if a misfortune happens him they are full of joy. I do not wish to say any evil of him, they say; but they are pleased to hear others speak ill of him, and make known his faults. I do not hate him, yet I cannot forget the harm he has done me. I am ready to forget the harm, but I do not wish to have anything to do with him. I cannot bear the sight of him; his very presence is enough to upset me; my blood begins to boil; if I meet him anywhere I cannot say a civil word to him; if I am obliged to answer him my gall rises, and I can hardly control myself; and if I endeavor to meet him in a friendly way he must not expect that when he is in want of me I shall be ready to do him a service. But is that the way to love your enemy, to pardon him, as Christ commands? Say what you like, I still maintain that you do not obey the law of God. The seeds of enmity are still in you; they lie concealed in your heart, like smouldering embers, or, as St. Ephrem says, like burning coals, that are still able to kindle the fire of enmity.
And if these not extinguished, if you still adhere to your secret hostility, then you cannot hope that God will forgive you, and therefore you have no claim to eternal happiness. What! you say; that is hard indeed! And dare I not expect heaven unless I have a love and affection for him who hates and tries to injure me? That is not in the power of my free will; the thought of the injury suffered, the displeasure caused me there by, comes into my mind unbidden; I cannot prevent it; it is impossible. Eh? Take your time and consider the matter leisurely! It is indeed natural to have a dislike to one who has done you harm, and to have that thought in the mind; this happens whether you will or no, and it is not in this that hatred consists, for with that you can still love your enemy truly. But to wish deliberately to entertain this hatred and desire of revenge, without striving against it, and to shun the society of another on account of it; to be troubled at his prosperity, rejoiced at his misfortunes, to refuse without cause, or danger of loss, or difficulty any service, benefit, or prayer that you would otherwise think your friend entitled to that is a sign of inward hatred, and that is forbidden. Now do you think the law impossible of fulfilment? Why, then, has God so expressly enjoined it on you? Does He wish, nay, can He order you to do an impossibility? Did St. Stephen and so many others do what was beyond their strength? And why should you not do for God's sake what you often do perhaps for human respect? Sometimes, out of worldly prudence, or to avoid losing the favor of some man, you have to swallow many a bitter morsel without a word of complaint or a sign of displeasure; do you say on such occasions: I cannot do it? If in spite of the many reasons you have for giving way to your anger you still bear patiently and with cheerful countenance what is displeasing to you, that you may not make an enemy of this or that one, do you then say: I cannot do it? When for the sake of accomplishing some business or making an agreement you have to forget the past altogether, do you then say: I cannot do it? Why, then, can you not treat with kindness and love your fancied enemy when the Almighty God wishes you to do so? There is no doubt the matter is easy enough if only you have an earnest will; and you must do it if you wish to please God.
Once for all the words are to be remembered: I say to you: Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; pray for them that persecute and calumniate you. " I," who am thy sovereign Lord; " I," at whose nod the heavens and the earth, the angels and demons, the winds and the elements obey; " I," who hold life and death in My hands; " I," who reward eternally those who obey Me, and reject eternally those who disobey: " I say to you: Love your enemies." Let them treat you as unjustly as they will; be it hard or easy for you; still you must love them, do good to them, pray for them. But, you will say, by way of a last objection, that is a counsel of spiritual perfection, not a command under pain of sin. Is it only a counsel? Why, then, does God utter it so emphatically: " But I say to you "? Does that mean: I beg of you; I recommend you? Does He not in the same place command us in the same words not to swear, not to have the desire of committing adultery, and so forth? These things are certainly not mere counsels, but commands, binding under pain of sin. And if it be only a counsel to love our enemies, and do good to them, why does He add: " For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? Do not even the publicans this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? Do not also the heathens this?" Is that a mere counsel? Why, then, does He threaten those who disobey with the loss of heaven: "You shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven"? And if it were only a counsel, would you even then be unwilling to observe it? Do you not daily pray in the Our Father: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us? Would you be satisfied if God forgave you only in the way in which you forgive, according to your imperfect idea of charity? Oh, wo to you, poor mortal, if Christ only abstains from doing evil to you! And wo to you if He forgives you only in outward show! Wo to you if He persecutes you with an implacable hatred, although He shows it not outwardly! Wo to you if He does not love you! Wo to you if He does not good to you! Wo to you if He does not pray to His heavenly Father for you!
Come, then, my dear brethren, let us without further hesitation and with blind obedience follow the voice of Christ, and love in outward deed, love sincerely, and from the bottom of the heart, and with all possible meekness and beneficence, such as we are bound to show to others let us love, I say, even those who cause us trouble, love even those who are our sworn enemies. He, the Lord, has said it, and that should suffice for us. What ever may happen, let our answer be that of the paralytic man at the Pool of Bethsaida in Jerusalem. The Pharisees reproached him for having taken up his bed on the Sabbath and walked away with it; what reply did he make them? Nothing but what you. too, should answer: " He that made me whole, He said to me." Say what you will about the impossibility of doing it: "He said to me." Love your enemy, therefore, as God has told you to love him; the law of the flesh will offer opposition, and tell you to return evil for evil; your answer must be: " He said to me; " God does not wish me to harbor thoughts of revenge. The law of reason will say that it is enough to return good for good. But no: "He said to me." The law of the world will cry out that it is enough not to show enmity outwardly, although the poison remains hidden in the heart; your answer must be: " He said to me" the contrary. But most people act otherwise; you must do as they do, and not try to appear wiser than they. No matter: " He said to me " that I must do good to my enemy. You will be laughed at as a coward. No matter: "He said to me." Your enemy will become more daring. Let him do what he pleases: "He said to me." Your honor is involved. " He said to me." It is a hard thing to do. " He said to me." It is His will, and I must obey.
Yes, my sovereign Lord and God, Thou hast said it; Thou, who alone hast to command me, hast laid this law on me; if I had no reward to expect, no punishment to fear from Thee; if I were not in need of Thy grace and pardon which, alas! is so necessary to me on account of the many sins and offences I have committed against Thee from my youth upwards Thy mere will and word: " I say to you: Love your enemies," should be to me reason enough for loving them from my heart; and it should be my greatest glory to obey Thee most humbly in this particular. Lord, I will do so, and do it at once! It will indeed cost me something to overcome myself; I must trample on all my natural inclinations, and tear myself out of myself, as it were, in order to bear patiently with that man who has caused me such annoyance, and to meet with meekness and kindness him who always contradicts and thwarts me; to renounce that revenge, which I might so easily take; to render that service, which he has not deserved from me; to take this step, or speak that word for his sake, or to give him this fresh sign of friendship; to be the first to propose this reconciliation, this mutual agreement; this, I say, appears hard and difficult, and even contrary to my nature; yet, my God, I am ready for it, because it is Thy will! Come all of you who have looked on me as your enemy, or whom I have considered as my foes; come all whom I have hitherto not been able to bear on account of injuries done me; before that God who sees our hearts I forgive you from my heart! Let us all prostrate ourselves at His feet, and bury in eternal oblivion every thing we have done to displease each other! Yes, at Thy feet, Lord, we now lay all the injuries we have hitherto suffered, and that we have still to bear; to Thee do we sacrifice our anger, hatred, desire of revenge as an offering we owe Thee, our sovereign Lord; we will love each other as Thou wishest us, Thy children, to love; that is, sincerely, from our hearts, in all circumstances, in all places, until the end of our lives. Do Thou, God, help us by Thy grace in this resolution and now earnest will, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. Amen.