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LOVE THY ENEMY
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
When I watch a film or a TV show where the initially oppressed come to be the oppressors in the end, I can’t
help but cheer for that protagonist. I feel a thrill when the less privileged become the recipients of kindness
and sincerity from other people. I applaud when known tyrants fall or when wicked people get what they
deserve. The thing is, fortune has a most predictable way of turning for the oppressor and the oppressed. It’s
never a toss-up on who gets the greater sympathy and greater blessings in the end; it is always the one who
starts at the bottom.
We are taught by religion not to intentionally inflict harm on others, lest we become recipients of harmful
circumstances ourselves. We need to guard what we say and do, because those are a reflection of who we are.
Unfortunately, a great majority of us are not beyond pointing an accusing finger at others when we feel we
are at a disadvantage if we point a finger at our selves. It is easier to let somebody else take the blame, more
especially so when that somebody just happens to be someone we particularly dislike. Human nature dictates
that we harbor negative feelings for people who just rub us the wrong way, or with whom we get off on the
wrong foot. Unfortunately, first impressions last, and once it is made, it would take a remarkable amount of
work to reverse that impression.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, they say. Wise advice for today’s generation. The world
nowadays is filled with people who are ready to pounce on the biggest mistakes we can make, endlessly munch
on them like a chew toy, and regurgitate them to spit into our face. No matter how hard we work and how well
we keep all our bases covered, there will always be one thing that can make us vulnerable to our enemy’s
attack, a weakness perhaps, a skeleton in the closet, an unconscious lapse of judgment we made in the past.
To combat all the evil notions that are prevalent in this world, we need to be on guard at all times. How can
that be managed? By living an exemplary life or by living up to the values we subscribe to. While it is true that
people always notice a dark spot on an otherwise spotless surface, we can still work hard toward living an
upright life and adhering to fundamental human concepts. Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute
you. That was not just a statement on a piece of papyrus that could dissolve so easily. It was declared by a
Great Man Himself, who had preached to His enemies about love and who laid down His Own life for them.
and look: He rose from the dead!
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1.
Is it easy to love your enemies? Why or why not?
2.
What is it in another person that can make you hate him/her instantly?
3.
Do you believe that we sometimes hate others because we see so much of ourselves in them? Elaborate
on your answer.
4.
If you had to spend a year of your life living with your greatest sworn enemy, what would you do?
5.
What have you been taught in your youth about loving your enemy? Be able to talk about this concept in
class.