February 27, 2021: Saturday of the 1st Week of Lent

Today’s Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022721.cfm

It’s not a secret that we live in a divided country right now, we even live in a divided church. We seem so intent on believing that we have the perfect translation of how to live Christianity on this earth and we are quick to demonize those whose thinking might vary from ours. It is easy to always and only spend time with our “neighbors” and to have conversations with those who will always agree with us, but Jesus calls us to something different in our Gospel today. “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…”

It is easy to love those who love us, to love those who pray like us, or those who live like us. As the Gospel tells us, everyone else does the same. What makes you different as a Christian? As people of faith we are invited to reach out to our enemies, to listen with attentive ears and open hearts, and to most importantly, ”pray for those who persecute us”. This Lent I want to encourage you to have a conversation with someone who you might consider your “enemy”, someone who doesn’t think, talk, or pray like you. 

Take some time today to reflect on these questions:

How do I view my enemies and who are they?

If I only love those who love me, what makes me different as a Christian?

This Lent, how can I commit to showing love towards my enemies?

What is one action I can do for someone who thinks or believes something different than me?

- Colleen O'Brien, Director of Campus Ministry, Caldwell University


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