Year B, Easter 2, Monday

Inspired by 1 John 2:3-11

“Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling.  But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.”  1 John 2:10-11

We are imperfect people.  We do things that hurt other people, sometimes inadvertently, sometimes carelessly, sometimes with full foreknowledge and intent.  We do these things to strangers, to acquaintances, and even to people we know and love.  Sometimes we know when we’re causing pain but we believe it’s justified because we’re ‘right,’ and sometimes we know when we’re causing pain and we delight in seeing the other person hurt because we believe that they ‘deserve’ it.

We’ve all hurt people, and we’ve all been hurt.  It’s part of being human.  But part of being Christian is getting beyond that.

Being a Christian is no shield against hurt.  As Christians, we will still suffer pain at the hands of other people, even other Christians.  But as Christians, we have the example of Jesus Christ, who lived the law of love so well that he loved and forgave the very people who were murdering him as he was dying, and he loved and forgave the close friends and disciples who denied and betrayed him.  With that love he conquered death and gave us life, and with that love he enabled his followers to end the cycle hurt and pain, and move forward with love and holy purpose.  They’d hurt Jesus, and he loved and forgave them, freeing them from guilt and shame.  The gospel they went on to preach was one of freedom and mercy in Christ, rather than the hate and retribution that would have been expected by their behavior towards their friend and teacher.

Holding on to hate towards someone who wronged us might feel natural and right, but it blinds us to the love of Christ, and it enslaves us to darkness and cycles of violence.  Free yourself from such darkness and dare to love, not just for the benefit of the person who wronged you, but for your own benefit, as well.

Let us pray.  Merciful Lord, you met our anger, abandonment, and betrayal with love and forgiveness.  Help us to follow your example and love others as you loved us, that we may be freed from the darkness and revel in your holy light.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.