It is so easy to hate as the world hates; it is so hard to love as Our Lord loves.  We may wish sometimes that the Christian religion were less difficult and demanding, yet it can never be anything else if it is to be recognisably Christian.

So often we want to pick and choose with the Christian religion: to accept the things we have a mind for, but to regard loving our enemies, in the sense of bearing them an unfailing goodwill, as an optional extra that is all right for those who like that sort of thing.

And yet “Love one another” was Our Lord’s last earthly command, given to his disciples at the Last Supper only hours before his Crucifixion.  If we do not take it seriously we can scarcely claim to be a true follower of him.  And if we are actually content to bear malice and hatred in our heart, then we are either a bad Christian or a humbug – or both.