Prayer Prompt before reading MT 5:38-42: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father is and God the Son so that I may know who I am.
“YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID, AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH. BUT I SAY TO YOU, OFFER NO RESISTANCE TO ONE WHO IS EVIL.” MT 5:38-42
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Today, Jesus finishes the 6 characteristics of a disciple, or follower of Christ, by teaching us to have mercy on others, especially those who offend us, those who have made bad decisions in their lives, or those who have never been loved before. This is a difficult teaching. We have all fell victim to retaliation against those who have hurt us, ruined our reputation, lied to us, broke our trust, etc. Jesus teaches that we must not only forgive those we love, but also our enemies.
Why? We are to imitate the Father. God “makes the sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” Bishop Barron says God is love straight through, so a very radical teaching comes from Jesus today to love our enemies. Why? If we do not love our enemies who will love them, how will they ever turn from their evil ways.
Many times they have never had anyone treat them with love or give them hope, it is foreign to them. It was the environment they grew up, they were dealt a bad hand in life, or possibly they had bad/no role models. With God’s grace and mercy, anything is possible.
Today’s challenge: Pray for terrorists to change their hearts, pray for prisoners to have a change of heart, give hope to the homeless, pray for those who have had an abortion and ask God to change the hearts of those who perform abortions. Forgive someone who has hurt you very deeply. Ask for forgiveness if you have hurt someone. Jesus “makes all things new” Rev 21:5
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; we will live again!)
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