How do we pray for our enemies? Enemy is a strong word, a drastic category. In my everyday life I don’t really have enemies, although in my personal orbit and in the political area there are many who annoy me and with whom I disagree. Regardless of the degree of animosity or disagreement, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. To do this involves stripping away many of our ideas about prayer until we come to the essence of who God is and what God wants: LOVE.
If love has no judgement, it follows that prayer be free of judgment. So hard! Maybe, when I pray for those I love, I feel I can get away with some specifics positive judgements, which I think of as good suggestions, but it doesn’t work that way for my enemies because I want them to change in big ways so that their ways become my ways, completely. The best I can come up with to pray that love surround them. And, of course this is all that anyone needs, those I love and, yes, those I hate.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48
If love has no judgement, it follows that prayer be free of judgment. So hard! Maybe, when I pray for those I love, I feel I can get away with some specifics positive judgements, which I think of as good suggestions, but it doesn’t work that way for my enemies because I want them to change in big ways so that their ways become my ways, completely. The best I can come up with to pray that love surround them. And, of course this is all that anyone needs, those I love and, yes, those I hate.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48
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