The Cure of Hatred
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head." Paul (Romans, 12:20)
The individual, generally speaking, when he has decided to be in the service of righteousness, will encounter rows of gratuitous adversaries wherever he goes, as invariably occurs to the light besieged by the antagonism of the shadows.
But sometimes, due to errors of the past or lack of the understanding of the present, he is confronted by more powerful enemies that become a constant menace to his tranquility. To have enemies of that kind is to endure a painful intimate illness, as the individual has not, as yet, become molded by living experiences in the Gospel.
As a rule, the good and faithful student will develop his own strength to the maximum in favor of reconciliation; notwithstanding, the greatest effort appears to be in vain. Impenetrability characterizes the heart of the other, and the best loving gestures pass by unperceived by him.
However, in order to counter that type of situation, the Divine Book offers a healthy recipe. It is not advisable to aggravate differences or further discussions and much less should the well- intentioned individual resort to flattery. Wait for the proper opportunity to manifest goodness.
From the minute that the offended individual forgets the dissention and returns toward love, the service for Jesus is restored; meanwhile, the perception of the offender is slow, and in most cases, he only understands the new light, when it is converted advantageously into his own personal circle.
A sincere disciple of the Christ easily frees himself from those inferior attachments; however, yesterday's antagonists can persist for a long time in the hardening of the heart. For this reason, by extending him all the goodness at the opportune moment, amounts to piling the renovating fire over his head, thereby, curing the hatred, which is filled with infernal expressions.
XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Our Daily Bread. By the Spirit Emmanuel. Spititist Alliance for Books, 2003. Chapter 166.
