Today's Sermon in a Nutshell: A man who had reached his 100th birthday was being interviewed by a reporter. "What are you most proud of?" the reporter asked.

Today's Sermon in a Nutshell:
A man who had reached his 100th birthday was being interviewed by a reporter. "What are you most proud of?" the reporter asked.

"Well," said the man, "I don't have an enemy in the world."

The reporter said, "Wow! What a beautiful thought! That is so inspirational!"

"Yep," added the man, "I outlived every last one of them."

Well, that's one way of dealing with your enemies. Another would be to just avoid and ignore them. Perhaps you secretly hope and plan and pray for bad things to happen to them – or maybe you take a more active stance by gossiping about them; spreading rumors and lies.

This is how most of the world usually operates toward its enemies. We go to war with them, plan and plot their demise, rejoice in their failures, and mourn at their successes.
But Christ teaches something completely and vastly different. Instead of hatred, our Lord asks us to respond with love. Instead of retaliation, Jesus encourages us to turn the other cheek. Instead of lashing out, He begs us to extend our hand in peace and friendship. Instead of seeking retribution, Jesus demands that His followers be forgiving. Instead of anger, our Master expects us to be compassionate and merciful – just as He is towards us.

In the early days of the Church, in the city of Antioch, Christians were first known and recognized by their "love," which ironically set them apart from the jaded masses. And this same love has always been a hallmark of the Christian Faith because Christ Himself is Love.

Jesus loved everyone – and expects nonetheless from us. He might not have liked what people did. He didn't always feel good or approve of their behavior, but Jesus loved everyone regardless of age, wealth, race, creed, color, or gender. And though there are many things which Christians need to stand up and stand against in this sinful, fallen world, we must always do so by speaking the truth with love and compassion – realizing that those who are suffering physical, spiritual, and moral illnesses are in need of the Physician.

Fr. John