“If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.” Desmond Tutu.
The archbishop is sounding a lot like Jesus. Jesus was pretty keen on enemy love. This is one of Jesus' classic reweaving of a saying that his followers would have been familiar with. It's a 'You have heard it said, but I say to you...'
Jesus: “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
(Matthew 5:43-37 The Message)
I’m not saying it’s easy but if we want peace then it’s probably something to at least consider.
So we pray:
Point my feet in the direction of love.
Turn my heart towards and not away from my enemy.
Remind me of their humanity, which is as valuable as my own.
And, if it’s possible, open a conversation so we might have peace.
Amen.