March 11, 2017 Saturday of the 1st Week of Lent-A

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Psalm 119

Matthew 5:43-48

“But I say to you, love your enemies…”  Matthew 5:44

Lord, seriously?  I know you have high expectations for me but this one has to be the highest bar there is.  Honestly, Lord, I don’t like this part of your good news very much.  I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach when I read this.  Do I feel this way because I have so far to go in living your ideal?  It’s hard to bless those who curse me, forgive those who steal from me, have mercy for those who block my path to success.  Would it be OK if I just ignored my enemies, not speak to them or just keep away from them?  It’s just not natural and it’s not easy.  Lord, help me to follow your dream for me.  I can only make progress in loving those who don’t deserve it with your grace.  Help me to avoid gossip about my neighbor.  Help me to look for good in those who aren’t good to me.  Help me to work for better relations with those who disagree with me.  I’ve a long way to go Lord, but I will try to take small steps today.  I lift up to you in prayer all those that I find hard to love.  Grant them mercy.  Amen.