Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. God arises; his enemies are scattered, and those who hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so are they driven; as wax melts before the fire. 

The enemies of God will never truly triumph. They might win battles here and there, but they are doomed. One day, they will be scattered and flee before Him. They will be driven away to the abyss and melt before the fire of His Divine Power. Whenever we are tempted to despair or worry or lose hope, we should recall this truth. We should arm ourselves with trust in God and shield ourselves with hope in Him for He will never abandon us to our enemies. He will always free us if we ask Him to release us. He will always drive away darkness and raise up the hopeful banner of the cross.

Who are the enemies of God in our lives? How can we trust God will overcome them? What can we do to show them the love of God and offer them a chance to enter into God’s good graces?

O Lord, we trust in your protection.

Amen.

Monday of Holy Week

The Lord is my light and my salvation. When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, My foes and my enemies themselves stumble and fall.

Our enemies will stumble and fall. They might lord it over us in this world. They might persecute and mock us. They might gain wealth, fame, and glory for themselves. They might triumph in this life and the eyes of worldly people. But they will never win. In the end, they will find themselves on the wrong side. They will be brought low. They will be silenced. They will lose everything they strived for. They will be defeated in the eyes of heaven. So, let us follow the Lord of Light and let him lead us through this valley of tears and trials into the Promised Land... to our salvation.

Who are our enemies? Do we pray for them and love them as Jesus did in his most holy and merciful life? Do we trust that no matter what our enemies do to us, we will never lose if we have God in our hearts, minds, and souls?

O Lord, turn the hearts of our enemies away from evil and to good.

Amen.

Fifth Saturday of Lent

It is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.

Caiaphas says this to the Sanhedrin as a matter of practicality, however, as the gospel points out he did not say this on his own. God put the words in his mouth as a prophecy. Caiaphas convinces the others to sacrifice Jesus for the good of the Jewish people. The prophecy, on the other hand, means Jesus is being sacrificed for all of God’s children: Jewish and Gentile. We should keep in mind this all encompassing sacrifice when we deal with our family, friends, and neighbors, especially those we find most difficult to love. The Sanhedrin found Jesus difficult to get along with so they killed him. We might not kill someone physically, but our words and actions (or inaction) toward them can kill them spiritually. This is why Jesus’ sacrifice is so important. He dies not just for saints, but for sinners. He gives us an example of putting aside our hurt feelings and doing the right, good, and loving thing, even to our enemies.

Who in our lives is the most difficult to deal with? Have we tried to reconcile with them? If we have and they still rebuke us, then what can we do to love them in spite of their dislike for us and our dislike for them?

O Lord, let us die to ourselves so that your people might live.

Amen.

First Saturday of Lent

Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.

It is easy to love those who love us, but much harder to love those who persecute us. These enemies may attack us physically, intellectually, emotionally, or spiritually. In the face of such assaults it is difficult to recognize our foes as fellow children of God and co-bearers of the Divine Image. However, these are the people in our lives most in need of charity. They are the ones who test the mettle of our love. Is our charity weak and brittle and unable to withstand the resistance of others? Or is it strong and durable? It is up to us to decide. That being said, we must recognize that we cannot win over the hearts of all our enemies with love. Sometimes it is best for us to retreat from someone who is mistreating us and pray for them from a distance. Prudence should guide our love so that we recognize when a relationship is too toxic for our own good. But that is the wonderful thing about prayer and love, they can be offered even from afar.

Who are the people in our lives whom we have the most difficulty loving? What can we do to love them in spite of our antagonistic relationships? Are we willing to sacrifice our pride in order to love our enemies?

O Lord, help us to love our enemies and pray for them for even they are your beloved children.

Amen.