THE Bible teaches us to love our neighbours, and most of us sincerely wish to do so.
But it’s not always so easy to live up to that ideal. We might wonder how are we to do it!
That is one of the reasons I was so glad to learn about Christian Science a few years ago.
This is a religion that focuses on the healing at the heart of the Scriptures, and a key element of such healing is learning to love with an unconditional love.
And as a result of almost 12 years of studying, learning, and practicing this Christian faith I have increasingly experienced the beauty of its practicality. So much so that to me it is more than a religion - it is a way of life, one in which I have felt increasingly able to live more lovingly, share more generously and embrace people with less partiality and doubt.
One particular aspect of loving our neighbors unconditionally is that we are to love even our enemies.
In our human experience, loving enemies is probably the most challenging task of all. Why?
Because we can always say to ourselves, “I can forgive but I can’t forget. Or, reason that if they can’t accept me then why should I bother to accept them?” And in the case of those involved in a broader, societal threat, we may conclude that they deserve what they are experiencing now!
Yet despite how difficult it can seem to love as Jesus loved, we need to do it. Why? Because hate can never be healed by another form of hate!
In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures the Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, explains why we need to love the individual even in the face of hate, for our own sake as well as for the sake of others.
She writes: “Christian Science commands man to master the propensities,- to hold hatred in abeyance with kindness, to conquer lust with chastity, revenge with charity, and to overcome deceit with honesty . Choke these errors in their early stages , if you would not cherish an army of conspirators against health, happiness, and success.” (p. 405:5)
No one among us wants to live a life full of hate. Our world today needs much more love and much less hate. And this can only happen when we realize the value of loving all our neighbors, wherever they are right now in their journeys through life.
Doing this is the Christianity Jesus taught. And understanding how to do it is what I feel I have been learning through Christian Science and continue to cherish.
If you are wondering how to love your neighbour as yourself, you, too, might find Christian Science a practical way of life!
(Rodolfo Jerome Lacusong is a Christian Science Practitioner. Do you have comments, inquiries or suggestions on this article? Please e- mail him at philippines@compub.org and follow him on Tweeter @ALacusong)