In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks in words that are both challenging and breathtaking, offering a transformative teaching on love and nonviolence that continues to inspire hearts to this day. In the opening verses of the Sermon, known as the Beatitudes, Jesus lays out a roadmap for true happiness and authentic joy. But while these Beatitudes may be familiar, they are more than simply beautiful sayings; they act as an overture, a preparation for a far deeper call—a call that demands radical love.

The true spiritual pinnacle of Jesus' sermon lies in his command to love our enemies and to embody nonviolence. This teaching remains one of the most challenging, yet central, aspects of Christian discipleship. How can we begin to approach this ideal in our everyday lives? Let's explore the nature of Jesus' teachings and how they offer us a path to become conduits of God's grace.

The Radical Call to Love Our Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44). These words have echoed through history as a startling call to go beyond the natural instinct to divide the world into 'us' and 'them.'

To love our enemies is not about feeling affection for them, nor does it mean ignoring the wrongs done to us. Love, in the biblical sense, is about willing the good of the other—even if that other does not deserve it or reciprocate it. Jesus teaches that we must will the good of those who actively wish us harm, for in doing so, we imitate God, who makes the sun rise on both the good and the evil.

Imagine what this means in practice: when someone wrongs us, our call is not to repay that wrong or to nurse hatred but to respond in love. And it's through this response that we are freed from the cycle of violence and retribution. True enemy love is a test of whether we are capable of desiring the best for others—no matter what—without an ounce of self-interest.

The Third Way: Nonviolence as Resistance

Jesus pushes his teaching further by proposing a third way to respond to violence. When someone strikes us on the cheek, Jesus instructs us to turn the other cheek. Far from being passive in the face of injustice, this is a form of active resistance that seeks to challenge the aggressor in a creative, nonviolent way. It is neither an act of violence nor an act of cowardice, but a bold, courageous stand.

In the time of Jesus, to be struck on the right cheek with the back of the hand was a gesture of contempt—reserved for those considered inferior. When Jesus asks us to turn the other cheek, he is not asking us to submit to oppression. Rather, he calls us to stand in the truth of our dignity and invite the aggressor into a different moral space. This approach to nonviolence has echoes throughout history, as seen in the examples of Bishop Desmond Tutu in apartheid South Africa or Mother Teresa in Kolkata—both of whom confronted hatred with peace and dignity.

Parables of Generous Mercy: The Prodigal Son

As we reflect on Jesus' radical teachings, we also encounter His beautiful parables, which are meant to illuminate how we are to live in the light of God’s love. One of the most famous of these is the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

In this story, the younger son demands his inheritance while his father is still alive—a request that is both deeply hurtful and disrespectful. He takes his inheritance, leaves home, and wastes it all in reckless living. Eventually, destitute and broken, he decides to return home. But the beauty of this parable lies in the father’s response: seeing his son at a distance, he runs out to greet him, embraces him, and calls for a feast in his honour.

The father’s running would have shocked Jesus’ listeners. It was undignified for a patriarch to run. But God’s love knows no boundaries—it is a super-abundant, generous love that rushes out to meet us even when we are at our lowest. And when the older brother protests, bitter that his loyalty has never been rewarded, the father’s response is a profound reminder: "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours." In God’s economy, there is no calculation—everything is grace.

A Challenge for Our Times

Jesus’ teachings challenge us to go beyond our comfort zones, especially in a world so often divided by violence, resentment, and fear. Nonviolence and radical love are not just lofty ideals—they are a call to action, an invitation to live differently. We have examples in history: Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Pope John Paul II—all of whom drew from Jesus’ teachings to confront the forces of darkness with light.

It’s easy to dismiss this teaching as an unreachable ideal, but Jesus calls each of us to try. When we love our enemies, we bear witness to the love of God, who loves unconditionally. When we choose nonviolence, we testify that there is a better way to overcome hatred.

As catechumens, take time to reflect on how you might embody these teachings in your life. Who are the 'enemies' in your life? Who challenges you the most? And what might it mean to actively will their good? How can you, in your daily life, resist the urge to retaliate and instead choose the third way of nonviolence?

We are called to be conduits of God's grace—to be bearers of His peace in a world so often marred by conflict. Let us aspire to love as God loves, to forgive as He forgives, and to rejoice in the abundance of His mercy. Let’s stop playing the game of grasping and deserving and instead surrender to the boundless grace of God.

Reflection Questions for Catechumens

1. Jesus commands us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). How does this challenge our natural instincts? Consider how Mother Teresa and Bishop Tutu's examples illustrate this teaching. How can loving our enemies make us more like God, who loves both the just and the unjust? (See also Luke 6:27-36; CCC 1825, CCC 2844)

2. Jesus teaches us to turn the other cheek instead of choosing violence or passivity (Matthew 5:38-42). How does this third way inspire us to respond to injustice today? Reflect on how nonviolence can be a powerful form of resistance, as shown by Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. (See Romans 12:17-21; CCC 2306, CCC 2262)

3. Reflect on the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). What does the father's action of running to greet his son reveal about God's love for us? How does this story demonstrate that God's love is unconditional and freely given, regardless of our past sins? (See also Psalm 103:8-14; CCC 1439, CCC 2839)

4. Jesus teaches us to love God and our neighbour (Matthew 22:36-40). How are these two forms of love connected in our lives? How does loving our neighbour reflect our love for God, and how can this shape our actions every day? (See also 1 John 4:20-21; CCC 2055, CCC 2083)

5. How did Pope John Paul II's nonviolent actions in Poland reflect Jesus' teachings on peace? What role does faith play in inspiring such courage, and how can we apply this in our own lives? Consider other historical examples of nonviolent resistance, like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi. (See Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9; CCC 2304, CCC 2311)