Historical Explanation:
The quote is from a church father, however unknown. The church fathers were during the periods between the death of Jesus Christ and the 3rd Century A.D. During this pre-Nicene period, any person that was caught practicing Christianity by the Roman Empire was thrown to the lions in the Coliseum or burnt at the stake. Though many Christians were martyred, many were also becoming Christian. This quote emphasizes peace through love rather than fighting back against persecution.
Metaphysical Implication:
The quote by the early church father contrasts between impossibility and possibility. Between impossibility, being loved by others; and the possibility, loving others. We cannot control how people may feel about us, it outside our control. The only thing we can control is ourselves, specifically how we can love others.
Practical Application:
How can we love everyone?
This may be a daunting task, but according to the church father, it is definitely possible. We can start loving others by seeing other people as more important than ourselves.
The moment we bring in a superiority-inferiority complex, we start to think that we are more important than other people, thus despising others if they treat us poorly.
If we think that we don’t deserve to be treated rightly, we will never be resentful if we are treated poorly.
