Love

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Lk.6:27,28

Jesus starts his Sermon on the Mount with a radical new message. Love without counting the cost. 

Before I was Christian, if I was asked what is one thing I knew about Christian doctrine it would be "love your enemies". I would dismiss it as pie in the sky dreaming, but secretly I wished it was true. 

Love isn't for sissies. Now I'm Christian it's the constant stretch, calling me to holiness. It is what makes being Christian both challenging and fulfilling. When I can manage it, I love being loving. 

I have family members who aren't Christian and yet are very hospitable and loving. I would say they are Christ-like on those occasions. I guess where the difference lies is in Jesus' call to love our enemies, the unrepentant, the abusers. I can only do that with the help of Jesus. 

Jesus, loving is easy when it's easy but hard when it's hard. Help me love in the hard times so I can more like you.

Saint Sebastian, please pray for me.