Homily by Len Desroches, Toronto

The most explicit teaching of Jesus re. maturity of love is when he says, “I know, I know what you’ve been told, ‘Love those who love you and hate your enemies. But I say this to you: Love your enemies. Become as mature in love as God is!’”

Donald Trump once said: “When someone hurts you, just go after them as viciously and as violently as you can.”

When the Japanese air force bombed Pearl Harbour in 1945, the US went after them as viciously and as violently as they could. The US could have simply destroyed the Japanese war planes. Instead they committed mass murder against the innocent citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with nuclear weapons: killing between 129,000 and 226,000

There are now 13,865 nuclear weapons in the world. Together, Russia and the USA possess 92 per cent of these weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear explosions over cities could quickly kill tens of millions. The detonation of just one percent of the 13,865 nuclear weapons could disrupt the global climate and threaten billions with starvation in a nuclear famine.

I agree that this is the direction we must go in if Jesus’ invitation and challenge to “Become as mature in love as God is” is unreal; if it’s not really possible to become that mature in love; if God’s grace does not exist.

Martin Luther King (MLK) stated: “Far from being the pious injunction of a utopian dreamer, the command to love one’s enemy is an absolute necessity for our survival.”

You might ask, doesn’t Nazi Germany and WWII prove that the force of love we call nonviolence doesn’t work? It’s crucial to recognize that it’s not a question of nonviolence not being able to counter the evil of Nazism, it’s a matter of nonviolence not being lived and therefore not being applied. The very rare instances where it was lived and applied it was powerful: the White Rose (Sophie and Hans Scholl); Franz Yagerstatter; the parish of Le Chambon. If the violent Nazi militarism had only been applied by a small handful of Germans it would not have achieved much on behalf of the Nazis.

This force of love we call nonviolence automatically demands resistance to all injustice, violence and evil – e.g. the racism and religious supremacy of the Nazis.

Love of enemy can be just as demanding at the more common, personal level as it is at the less common, more public level. Sometimes it’s a question of both personal and public – as it was on July 22, 2018, when Danielle Kane, a 31-year-old nursing student, was shot by the “Danforth Shooter” 29-year-old Faisal Hussain. The bullet tore through her stomach and diaphragm and shattered part of her spine, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down.

Faisal Hussain suffered from severe mental health issues and family tragedies. He struggled with psychosis and depression. His sister was killed in a car accident. His older brother suffered a drug overdose that left him in a vegetative state.

In a CBC interview, aired July 21, 2019, Danielle reiterated that she felt sorry for Faisal. “It’s obvious that he was suffering. He had these issues for a long time, and he fell through the cracks. He was supposed to follow up with a forensic psychologist and that never happened. I think our system needs to be improved. I think that individuals like this should have caseworkers or someone that they need to check in with regularly – whatever it is that they need to stay on track and not be so isolated as he was. I’ve been in really dark places. If you’re alone and you don’t have anyone to pull you out of that negative spiral, how far you can go down! I understand, ‘cause I’ve been there. I haven’t been as far down as he has, clearly. But we all need community; we all need people to love us. I know it’s hard for other people to believe, but we need to bring in people like Faisal and love them.”

This kind of maturity in love was exhibited by a Muslim who was interviewed right after the murder of the family in London, Ontario: “We must not respond in kind – with hatred” he stated firmly.

A few years ago in India a young man murdered a nun, stabbing her to death. With stunning spiritual maturity her sister and her mother eventually fully forgave him: he became a brother to the sister and a son to the mother.

Francis of Assisi wrote, “Everyone who comes to them, friend or enemy,…must be made welcome.” (Rule of 1221) He himself risked his life during a horrific Muslim-Christian war and went to meet the sultan of Egypt, Malik al Kamil.

MLK said of love of enemy, “We are called to this difficult task in order to realize a unique relationship with God.” God is love – therefore we are called to this difficult task in order to realize a unique relationship with love. A unique relationship with love!

It’s not just a matter or faith and love. It’s a matter of faith in love – in love’s capacity to transform fear, hatred and apathy. Till we renounce tit-for-tat, till we forgive, we are not free and we are bypassing the greatest power of all: love. We can remain programmed to react in kind to a violent attack or we can become free to respond with radical wisdom and transformative practicality.

The key is to actually step inside this mystery that is love of enemy. Step right inside: it’s a process. Love grows; love matures. Or love degenerates, weakens. “Become as mature in love as God is.” Step inside the mystery. Some barely even touch its surface and yet wonder why no transformation happens. Imagine as nations going deeply into this mystery; imagine the U.S. and Russia embracing!

The extent to which love of enemy is not a strong, public part of the church’s spirituality and practical actions is the extent to which it inevitably ceases to inspire and strengthen the rest of society.

Jesus says four things about love: Love yourself. Love your neighbour. Love God. Love your enemy. And, as Francis of Assisi discovered, living this fullness of love leads inevitably to love of Earth – of Sister Water, Brother Wind,…

Becoming as mature in love as God is.                                                       Amen.