1st Week of Lent
Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
Have you ever watched a movie about superheroes and wondered how they lived through all those adventures? They get shot at and blown up, fall from tall buildings, and still finish without a scratch. We may think of today’s Gospel in the same way we think about these stories: as pure fiction or, at best, unreasonable exaggeration. Nonetheless, Jesus calls us to love our enemies, and if he called us to it, we must be capable of it.
So what’s the answer? A healthy dose of reality and a lot of divine grace.
First, the dose of reality. Unlike superheroes, we don’t heal so easily. We may want to forgive someone, but their actions have left scars on our hearts. Those scars don’t go away by themselves. To one degree or another, we all carry some wounds from the past. We may have been devastated by a heartbreaking divorce, the loss of a job, or a loved one’s untimely death. Perhaps we were abused, rejected, or betrayed by someone we had trusted.
We may have resigned ourselves to carrying these wounds around; we may even think it’s just part of life. But these scars can block our ability to love as Jesus asks us to.
This is where the divine grace comes in. If something is holding you back, even if it happened twenty years ago, Jesus has the power to set you free.
How can you experience Jesus’ healing power in these painful areas? Try this: Sit quietly in prayer, and imagine Jesus sitting next to you. Tell him about your hurts. Be open and honest, even if it means crying or yelling at the Lord. Then look into his eyes, and see his compassion. Imagine him hugging you and saying, “I know how you feel. I share in your suffering.” Then, imagine him offering you words of guidance. Don’t worry if you think it’s just your imagination. That’s how God works sometimes. He reaches into our hearts by working in our minds. Anything to help us love and forgive each other!
“Lord, I bring my wounds to you. I believe that you can set me free. Thank you, Jesus, for your healing love!”
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
Daily Marriage Tip for March 11, 2017:
Are one or both of you retired? It can be a blessing and a challenge. There’s extra time, but perhaps physical limitations are increasing. What do you like most about being retired? What do you like least?