February 27, 2021 Saturday of the 1st Week in Lent-B

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Psalm 119

Matthew 5:43-48

“…he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways and …hearken to his voice.”

Dt. 26:17

“…love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,” Mt. 5:44

Lord I know Moses told your people to obey the commandments and statures and decrees that came from your mouth. Today, your good news has maybe the most dismissed and ignored commandment of all. Loving enemies, those who hurt insult and threaten us, can be the farthest reaction we have. It’s more common to retaliate to even the score. It’s more common to turn to revenge and focus on destroying the person who has hurt us. Loving them and forgiving them is the last thing most of us do.  Is it because loving and praying for those who have hurt us is hard and unattainable on my own? If I forgive and love and pray for those who have hurt me, will I not make those around me less anxious? Does my anger corrode my heart and harden it to your desire for me? Lord, I very much need your grace to begin to let go of hatred and work to reconcile with he who has harmed me or a loved one.  Today I will offer prayer for he who has broken my heart and scarred my soul. After the first step of prayer, anything is possible. Lord, help me to love as you love.  Amen.