I struggle to pray for the one person that I truly want to hate and I hope God understands when I say her name quickly and grimace as I pray.
In the past I prayed in a prayer group with a woman that I had had trouble with since Jr. High and I ended up having a lot of respect for her. I can’t say that we are close friends but we are close acquaintances.
In the spirit of Pope Benedict’s emphasis on Scripture and call for Catholics to read more Scripture, I’m posting the link to a Priest’s Lenten Reading Plan.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_140348026030845
The Readings cover the entire Gospel of Mark and John and most of Luke. Some unique books in Matthew as well as some Old Testament are included. The Readings average 2 chapters per day and ramp up to about an hour and a half during Holy Week.
Fr. Basil Burns, O.S.B.
March
9: (Ash Wednesday): Mark 1; Luke 4 (the desert)
10: Mark 2; Hosea 2 (the call)
11: Mark 3; Jer 1 (the call)
12: Mark 4; Neh 1 (the call)
LENT, WEEK ONE (first full week):
13: Mark 5
14: Mark 6
15: Mark 7:
16: Mark 8:
17: Mark 9
18: Mark 10
19 (St. Joseph): Luke 5
LENT, WEEK TWO:
20: Luke 6
21: Luke 7
22: Luke 8
23: Luke 9
24 (Annunciation): Luke 1-2
25: Luke 10
26: Luke 11
LENT, WEEK THREE:
27: Luke 12
28: Luke 13
29: Luke 14
30: Luke 15
31: Luke 16
April
1: Luke 17
2: Luke 18
LENT, WEEK FOUR:
3: Matthew 14 (A unique story to Matthew)
4: John 1
5: John 2
6: John 3
7: John 4
8: John 5
9: John 6
LENT, WEEK FIVE:
10: John 7
11: John 8
12: John 9
13: John 10
14: John 11
15: John 12
16: John 13
HOLY WEEK
17 (PALM SUNDAY): Mark 11; Luke 19
18: Mark 12; John 14; Luke 20
19: Mark 13; John 15; Luke 21
20: Mark 14; John 16
21 (HOLY THURSDAY): John 17; Exodus 12:1-14; Luke 22
22 (GOOD FRIDAY): Mark 15; Jer 51: John 18; Matt 27; Luke 23
23 (HOLY SATURDAY): John 19; 1 Peter 4; Psalm 69
24 (EASTER SUNDAY): Mark 16
RESSURECTION WEEK
25: John 20
26: John 21
27: Luke 24
28: Matt 28
29: Acts 2
30: Acts 9
May 1 (Divine Mercy Sunday): Phillipians 2; Romans 8
My priest suggested that you write the person’s name on a piece of paper and attach it to the back of a picture of Jesus or any other religious picture you might have in your house.
Then every time you go past the picture, put your hand on the picture and say a short ejaculation.
Lord, have mercy on her.
May peace accompany her today.
May he find happiness with his family today.
Lord, Jesus, bless him.
Whatever you want to say — I tried it and I can talk to the person very pleasantly now, but I was fuming at her at one time in my life.