Continued 👇🏾
✍🏾Blessed Are You If You Serve Even Those Who Hate You
Our Lord Jesus Christ taught that Christian service and love are not limited to those who love us. From the beginning of His teaching on the law of the Gospel, He made this clear, saying:
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more do you do than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect”
(Matthew 5:44–48).
✍🏾Through this teaching, our Lord shows that true Christian love goes beyond natural affection. Loving only those who love us is easy and requires no spiritual struggle. But loving those who hate us reflects the perfection and mercy of God the Father.
👉🏾The Evangelist Saint Luke also records this teaching of our Lord, saying:
“But I say to you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you”(Luke 6:27–28).
✍🏾On Holy Thursday, our Lord Jesus Christ washed the feet not only of the apostles whom He loved, but also of Judas, who would soon deny and betray Him. By this action, Christ taught that Christian service is not limited to those who love us, but also extends to those who oppose us.
Through this act, our Lord revealed that Christian love is meant for everyone, not only for those who return love. Judas, though he knew he would betray the Lord, still received this act of humility and love. Christ loved him to the end.
✍🏾Later, when our Lord offered Himself as the ransom for our salvation on the Cross.He again showed this same mercy by praying for those who crucified Him, saying:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”(Luke 23:34).This is the fullness of Christian love.
👉🏾When our Lord said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17), He
As I have loved the one who betrayed Me and washed his feet, so must your love extend to all people, and your service must include even those who hate you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters who serve in the Church, let us examine ourselves:
Whom do we truly serve?
Do we serve only those who praise us and honor us?Do we accept correction from those who criticize our service?Do we love those who advise us for our spiritual growth and salvation?
Let us teach and correct ourselves first, because the life and actions of Christ stand as a witness and a measure for our service.
✍🏾Blessed Are You If You Obey in Love
Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ taught His disciples, saying:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him”
(John 13:16).
By these words, our Lord was comparing His disciples to Himself and teaching them humility and obedience.
Obedience Not by Fear, but by Love In the world, earthly leaders such as presidents or prime ministers command their officials, and obedience is enforced by authority, punishment, or law. If officials disobey, they may be removed from their position or held accountable.
✍🏾But Christian obedience is different. As disciples of Christ, we are called to obey Him not out of fear, but out of love and willingness. Christ Himself, not a man and not an angel, humbled Himself and taught us by His own actions.
If we refuse to serve humbly, or if our hearts resist humility, then our actions silently declare, “We are greater than You.” This pride is the same sin that led to the fall and humiliation of Satan.
Continues 👇🏾