A Gospel according to Mt 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
REFLECTION
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
I am a Catholic Catechist for second graders. We as a class were learning how to listen and think critically about the Sunday scripture readings and the homily. This Gospel of Matthew 5: 43-48 was read in class. I asked the children, "Who is your enemy?" The children as a whole said that it was any person or persons who would physically or verbally assault or insult them. Then I asked, "Who else is your enemy?" Some said that the devil was their enemy. Again I asked, "Do you have any other enemies?" They all answered, "No." I asked one last question, "Can you be your own enemy?"
"Can we be our own enemy?" I would admit that I am my own worst enemy.
"Do I love my enemies?" Like one of the children in my class said, "That's hard to do! When someone hurts me, I want to hurt them back!" Then we started to think about putting ourselves into the shoes of the other person. Why are they hurting me? Do they know that they are hurting me? Have we tried to talk to that person to answer these questions? Sometimes we may find out that we did something that the other person thought was hurtful.
How can we be our own enemy? We have the free will to choose how to react to those who hurt us. We can choose to fight with fists, words, or use things to cause harm. Or we could choose to talk to them, pray for them, and show kindness to them. Jesus modeled how to treat enemies. He showed love by questions that gave them insight into their actions(Pharisees and Scribes), and compassion by healing the soldier whose ear was cut off by Peter, and he prayed for them even while dying on the cross. I must always ask myself when I have to choose how to react, "Will my action show love to my enemy? Will I love others as a true Christian?"
As Christians we are commanded by Jesus to "..., love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father." We are at a time in this world when we must prove to be children of the heavenly Father.
PAPA missionaries live by these rules: Pray Serve and Bless.
We Pray which is done heart-to-heart with Our Lord, Jesus Christ about the needs of others.
We Serve others which is always the way to win their hearts. We can serve by our prayers, words, and deeds.
We Bless everyone, no matter whether they act "good or ill." (PAPA handbook p.22)
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