New Commandment - Love Thine Enemies

Summary

The speaker delivers an Easter sermon centered on the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the defining spiritual event of Christianity and as proof of a divine power greater than mortal control. Speaking despite having the flu, he frames the occasion as a call to examine whether Christian teachings are being lived in daily life, not merely professed through worship, sacraments, or religious language. He argues that the Bible, the Sermon on the Mount, the Last Supper, and the teachings of Jesus provide the foundation for enduring societies, both personal and international, and he invokes Abraham Lincoln’s view of the Bible as a vital book for nations. A major theme is the nature of love. The speaker insists that love cannot be adequately defined in books or abstract theory; it must be experienced and lived. He describes love as a mature, disciplined, and enduring state of consciousness that grows out of self-control, moral development, and the willingness to place the good of others above personal ambition. True love, in his view, is incompatible with selfishness, vanity, prejudice, and the pursuit of profit at the expense of integrity. He repeatedly contrasts genuine love with the shallow, temporary, and self-serving forms of affection common in modern society. To illustrate this, he tells the story of a man who devoted his life to caring for a disabled sister and later a paralyzed wife. The point of the story is that real love is not a burden but a source of inner growth and meaning. The man’s response—“it’s no strain at all, I loved her”—becomes a model for the kind of selfless devotion the speaker believes society needs in politics, family life, and civic relationships. The sermon also emphasizes the social consequences of failing to live by Christian principles. The speaker blames wars, misery, crime, prejudice, and social breakdown on selfishness, revenge, competition, and the refusal to keep the moral “rules” that preserve peace. He argues that many people claim Christian belief but do not practice forgiveness, kindness, or humility in ordinary interactions. He criticizes temporary conversions that fade when they require sacrifice, and he warns against alcoholism, narcotics, materialism, and the worship of success. In his view, civilization is deteriorating because people have traded integrity for convenience and short-term gain. The speaker broadens the discussion through examples from history and other traditions. He mentions Akhenaten and Nefertiti as symbols of family-centered and humane leadership, and he cites Mohandas Gandhi’s belief that peace depends on binding humanity together with love. He also refers to St. Francis of Assisi as a model of mystical love extending to animals, birds, flowers, and all creation. Related examples from Japan, including the blessing of animals and the release of fish in Nara, are used to show reverence for life and the importance of protecting rather than exploiting living things. He even connects this ethic to practical matters such as diet, suggesting that moderation and less meat consumption support health and integrity. Another important strand is the relationship between inner spiritual life and outward conduct. The speaker argues that peace begins within the individual and then radiates outward into family, community, and nation. He says that people should cultivate friendship, forgiveness, patience, and service in daily life, and that these virtues are not impractical ideals but the basis of a stable society. He stresses that one must stay engaged with life’s difficulties rather than retreating from them, because growth comes through faithful action in the midst of adversity. The sermon concludes by returning to the Christian mystery of divine love made flesh in Jesus Christ. The speaker presents the “Christ principle” as something each person can release through his or her own nature, becoming an agent of healing, peace, and reconciliation. He frames this as a kind of second coming through human conduct: when people live with love, integrity, and service, they help bring divine order into the world. The final message is one of hope and responsibility—Easter is not only a celebration of resurrection, but an invitation to personal transformation, moral courage, and a more compassionate human civilization.