In last week’s Gospel, Jesus taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who hurt us. Like so many pathways along the Way, this is quite straightforward, yet so difficult for us. We know how much Jesus loves us, so we know his words contain treasure. As we grapple with seeking that treasure, a simple path to help us find it is by looking through the eyes of children. One way to do that is to read their picture books.
Twenty-five years ago (I can’t believe it’s been that long), one of my favorites was published: Enemy Pie, by Derek Munson. A young boy becomes unsettled when a new boy, “Jeremy,” moves into the neighborhood. This boy is good at everything and is instantly popular. Why can’t Jeremy just go away so life can go back to normal? The young boy’s dad suggests they bake Jeremy an “enemy pie.” As Dad gets to work in the kitchen, the boy assumes the pie is filled with sticks and worms and other awful things. He can’t wait!
Once the pie is in the oven, Dad tells him that the pie only works if you first spend the day with the enemy. The boy is so determined to make the enemy pie work that he follows the instructions perfectly—he knocks on Jeremy’s door and invites him to play! Of course, that’s when the transformation happens. During the course of the day, they become friends, and when they come back to the boy’s house—the pie is ready! The boy panics as the dad cuts each of them a slice and tops it with a dollop of ice cream. Much to his relief, it turns out to be a perfect cherry pie.
This children’s picture book shows us another way to think about loving our enemies—it gives us a slice of freedom that comes from a lightness of heart. In that lightness, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. All from something as simple and straightforward as slicing a pie. That is God’s dream for us.
Mother Nina+
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