Reflection on Readings: How to Eliminate Your Enemy

Once, when he was much smaller, my son engaged me and my dad in a conversation.  After reading the Philippines Almanac, he maintained that the Spanish soldiers who fought against the Katipuneros were all bad.  My dad and I looked at each other and tried to explain to him that being bad depended on which side you were on.  It depended on perspective.  The Spanish soldiers were fighting against insurgents, while the Katipuneros were fighting for their freedom.

A video article I saw made exactly the same point.  The former CIA agent being interviewed opened with:  "If I learned one lesson from my time with the CIA, it is this:  Everybody believes they are the good guy."  And she goes on to state a very simple solution to world conflict / war:  "The only real way to disarm your enemy is to listen to them."  Then she said, "But the truth is, when you talk to the people who are really fighting on the ground, on both sides, and ask them why they are there.  They answer with hopes for their children, specific policies that they think are cruel or unfair ..."

CIA INTERVIEW

The key is being open to understanding and "loving" the enemy because, really, when we get down to the heart of it, we are all the same - fighting for essentially the same things:  the things and people we love.

So, how do you eliminate your enemy?  By making them your friend.

From Tuesday's Gospel

Matthew 5:43-48

 "Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust."

CEASEFIRE by For King & Country sums it up quite well.

How do we save a life
Pointing fingers?
How can we end the fight
This way?
When blame is the truth we're preaching?
And lies are what we're believing?
No one ever wins
When the goal is to settle the score

One by one we will call for a ceasefire
One by one we will fight for a better end
One by one we could rewrite the headlines
Standing side by side
One by one, love is building an empire
One by one, reaching out to our enemies
One by one we will make it to the finish line
Standing side by side
Ceasefire

I will be the first to say
I'm far from perfect
But grace was made for those who don't
Deserve it
So easy to cast the first stone
It's harder to search your own soul
No one ever wins
When the goal is to settle the score

Teach us how to live humbly
Love unconditionally
Transform our hurt into hope
And grant us Your peace