How to acquire love for your enemies?translated

On October 18, the 20th Sunday after Pentecost, at the Sunday Divine Liturgy an excerpt from the Gospel of Luke is read. In chapter 6, the Apostle Luke conveys the sermon of Jesus Christ, delivered “out of the blue.” Its content overlaps with the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew.

There is nothing unusual in this: any person, be it a lecturer or a preacher, often repeats the same ideas and theses that are important to him in different audiences. In this regard, the Savior’s preaching was based on the same laws of human communication.

And if you love those who love you, what gratitude do you have for that? for sinners also love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what gratitude do you have for that? for sinners also do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive it back, what gratitude do you have for that? for even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But you love your enemies, and do good, and lend, without expecting anything; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is good also to the ungrateful and the wicked.   Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:32-36).

The words of the Lord are addressed to His...