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Saturday, First Week of Lent (March 12, 2022)
Your Daily Blessing: May the Lord break the shackles of hatred and bitterness in your life and set you free. Amen!
Read Gospel (5:43-48).
We all have real or imagined enemies. How we got them after us, we may or may not know. Perhaps they are envious of us, hate our guts or what we did, or just hate us for no reason.
In today’s Gospel (5:43-48), Jesus ordered us to love but enemies, and we find that a difficult pill to swallow. I share with you Zafar’s insight on how to “see” our enemies such that a deeper appreciation of their value, may inspire us to love them. He presents them as our “therapists” whom we need but don’t want.”
Our enemies help us attain self-actualization.
1. They help you in managing your anger. Yes, they annoy you, but at same time, force you to seek control over it.
2. Their criticism or negative comments help you see your weaknesses and work to improve it.
3. They can be powerful allies if you improve your inter-personal skills; some can support you if you understand how to supply their needs. It is a fact enemies have been turned to friends.
4. So much of their negativity may help you to focus on the positive.
5. The fact we have enemies compel us to be committed to those we love and not take them for granted.
6. Which of us will like to carry a hand grenade everywhere we go?
Well, enmity brings “toxic emotions” into our system. It kills us gradually because it affects our health. This is partly why Jesus counsels us to “love our enemies”. Love is a decision to always do good to them, it does not mean we “like” them. This love is the real sign we are truly God’s children.
Prayer: Dear Lord, it is so difficult loving those who wish us harm. No matter how I look at it, it’s a very difficult thing to do. But I recollect that I cannot do it on my own strength but by your grace. Please give me this grace always so that I may grow to live and act like you – my father.
fr Augustine Ebido OP
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