Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have.
Friends have bound me to earth, enemies have loosed me from earth
and have demolished all my aspirations in the world. Enemies have
made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous
inhabitant of the world. Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter
than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies,
found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Your
tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.
Friends have bound me to earth, enemies have loosed me from earth
and have demolished all my aspirations in the world. Enemies have
made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous
inhabitant of the world. Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter
than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies,
found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Your
tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world.
They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself.
They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments.
They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself. They have
spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish.
Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me
as though I were a dwarf. Whenever I have wanted to lead people,
they have shoved me into the background. Whenever I have rushed
to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.
Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened
me from sleep. Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long
and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out. Truly,
enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out
my hands to the hem of your garment.
Bless my enemies, Ο Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even
more bitter against me: so that my fleeing to You may have no return;
so that all hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs; so that
absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul; so that my heart may
become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger; so
that I might amass all my treasure in heaven; ah, so that I may for
once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the
dreadful web of illusory life. Enemies have taught me to know what
hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world
except himself. One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize
that they are not enemies, but cruel friends. It is truly difficult for me
to say who has done me more good and who has done me more
evil in the world: friends or enemies. Therefore bless, Ο Lord, both
my friends and my enemies. A slave curses enemies, for he does
not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands. For a
son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life. Therefore he
freely steps among them and prays to God for them. Bless my
enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them."
From 'Prayer LXXV, Prayers by the Lake p.142-144, Bishop Nikolai
Velimirovich, Trans. by Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Todor Mitka, 1999
ORTHODOX HERITAGE. APRIL 2005. BROTHERHOOD OF ST. POIMEN Source
Immediately two things seem very clear, I must pray to God with
perseverance to be able to learn to love my enemies, and I must
trust in, and submit to God's Providence as revealed in the
circumstances of my life.
Father Zacharias Zacharou explains, "God's commandments
are beyond man's conception and power to fulfill. We are humbled
from the moment we come in contact with them. The commandments
of God have the specific effect of crushing the arrogance of our
darkened minds and hearts as to clear the way for grace to dwell
within us. They shed light on our imperfection, on our spiritual
poverty and weakness, so that we cry out to God from the heart,
asking Him to come and fulfill His own commandments in us. This
is the only way, as He Himself said, "Without Me ye can do nothing."
John 15:5
From 'Remember Thy First Love' p.318, by Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou,
Stravopegic Monastery of St John the Baptist, Essex, England, 2010
"The very greatness of loving our enemies is obvious from this simple
example: if we have a misunderstanding with someone and we our-
selves are to blame, how difficult we find it to humble ourselves and
say, 'Forgive me, I made a mistake' But how much greater the
crucifixion of ourselves if we are to love someone who has provoked
us, even as our conscience tells us that we are blameless. This,
however is the way of Christ, Who loved us unto the end even while
we were His enemies. ..
Love for one's enemies, then, is the 'madness' of our faith, 'the
foolishness of the cross'. And woe unto him who does not accept
this foolishness! His is foolishness of a different kind: 'The fool hath
said in his heart, there is no God' Psalm 14:1. There is indeed no God
for him, for he is unmoved at seeing Christ-God with arms outstretched
upon the cross in love for His enemies. Such a fool is so hardened that
the word of life, the word of the cross, no longer penetrates his heart.
And this word is the one that speaks most eloquently to us of what love
for our enemies truly is." Ibid p.320-321
I am speechless! With pain of heart I acknowledge that I do not yet
possess this love. But I can pray, I can ask, "Lord Jesus Christ, have
mercy on me! Transform my heart of stone. I believe, help my unbelief!"
And while I pray, there is also something else I can do, I can start to
act as if I had this love...
